


Strength { A Colby Brock Fanfic }

by -Faith- (SkyBrock), SkyBrock



Category: Sam and Colby, Why Don't We (Band)
Genre: Cancer/Sickness, F/M, I Did Hella Research for This Book, Its Still A Good Book Though, Rape, Sad, Self-Harm, Underage - Freeform, lots of medical terminology, soft spots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 32,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23631163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyBrock/pseuds/-Faith-, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyBrock/pseuds/SkyBrock
Summary: So this book was written a while ago and is one of my best books. I actually read this one a lot in my free time, but there are lots of triggering topics that I would like to warn about before you read. There is an abusive ex that attempts rape. There is self harm and mention of past self harm. And there is hospitalization due to serious illness. But all around a good hearty book with plenty of good content for the Colby lovers out there. :)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

I let the music play in my earbuds as I finally unpacked the last bag into my new room at my brother Sam’s house. He shares it with his best friend Colby because they’re both YouTubers and it’s easier for them to share a house when filming or editing. That way they can do stuff together faster. 

A soft sigh left my lips as I finally felt myself relax and the stress fade. I’m gonna like it here. It’s Los Angeles, not Kansas where home is, but it’s home anyway because my brother’s here. Colby? Now he’s a different story. 

Sam and I grew up with Colby at Blue Valley High, we went through a lot of shit together and were each other’s backbones when the bullying made us weak. Life was tough but we helped each other through it. And somewhere in the mix is when I started getting feelings for Colby. Something about a tall brunette with a bad boy vibe, but I know he’s a softy, just snatched up my heart and locked it away inside him somewhere. 

But as soon as Colby caught on to my feelings for him, he told Sam. And that’s where it all kind of went wrong. Sam told me to stop seeing Colby. We stopped hanging out, Colby and I, and every time I would try and text or call Colby and he wouldn’t answer. He’d hang up immediately. He started avoiding me and it made me feel bad about my feelings for him. Like I should be ashamed.

And that’s when my depression developed. Because I started beating myself up about it. So, I did some things. Got piercings and a few tattoos, and fought endlessly with my brother for months. And we’re still not on good terms, but our parents think that some time together would be best for us. 

So, here we are. In the same house three years later. Sam and Colby are both downstairs. I had arrived here when they were gone so I was able to get settled in peace. But now, both of them are home. I hear the TV downstairs and they’ve been laughing about something for the past ten minutes. I took my shoes off and dropped them by the door, and everything went silent. A few mumbles in hushed voices were exchanged, then it went quiet again. 

The next thing I heard were footsteps coming up the stairs to the bedroom. A knock on the door later and I heard my brother’s voice. “Hey, Izzy, you um… are you hungry? We could go out and get something to eat.”

“No,” I answered. “Why would I want to go anywhere with you?”

“Ouch,” He scoffed. “I just want to start over. Okay? Please? We’re living in the same house, you’re gonna have to get used to me eventually.”

“Eventually,” I replied. “Not now. I’m not hungry. I ate before I came.”

“Can I at least see you?” Sam asked rather sadly. “You’re my sister and I haven’t seen you in like- years.”

“The door’s unlocked,” I said. “Come in if you want.”

I took out my earbuds with a heavy sigh and Sam opened the door, shut it behind him, and sat on my bed next to me. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I turned my phone off and set it down on the nightstand. 

“Like the tattoo,” Sam said, pointing to the wolf tattoo on my collarbone. I scoffed lightly. 

“Yeah, it’s a lone wolf,” I said. “I felt it was necessary with the past three years you left me.”

“Izzy, don’t be like that,” Sam sighed. “I want to try again. Try and fix us.”

“Oh, now you do? Now that I’m forced to live here in your house?”

“I want to fix this!” Sam stood up suddenly. “I want you to be happy!”

“Well, I haven’t been! If you hadn’t left you would be able to tell! Because you and Colby left me and I had no one! We went through bullying, self-doubt, hell- I helped Colby endlessly with his anxiety! And you both left me!!”

“I’m sorry, okay?! I’m sorry!! We were protecting ourselves and our friendship!! We had to!!”

“Protecting it from me!!” My eyes watered slightly. “Because you just forget the fact that we were a trio and you guys decided to leave me alone when I fell in love.”

“Why are you like this?! What is your deal?!” Sam asked. “Hello?! Are you even going to answer me?!”

“Colby!!” I sobbed. “I want to be with Colby but he’ll never love me!! I’m a mess!! And you guys left me depressed and alone for three fucking years!! Three years… and I’m heartbroken…”

Suddenly, in perfect timing, Colby’s face popped into the door. “What?... I-Izzy I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“Yes you did,” I wiped my eyes. “It’s why you guys ran off without me. Because you didn’t want me to ruin your guys’ friendship so you left. You both left me behind. I’m not the bad guy here. You guys are.”

“Y- well…” Colby entered the room. God, I hate it when he’s shirtless. It makes him more attractive and that’s not helping my case. “I’m sorry…”

“After three years when I’m forced to live in your house, you finally say sorry,” I looked up at the brunette, my heart aching. “You broke my heart, Cole. I can’t just forget that.”

“I know.”

“If you knew, why were you okay with it?” I scoffed. “Do you remember how many times I snuck into the men’s bathroom at BV just to be in there while you were throwing up because of your anxiety? Every. Single. Morning. From freshman year into sophomore. Every. Day.”

“I know,” He shuffled in his chair, his own eyes watering slightly. “You don’t understand. I did what I had to.”

“He’s not all at fault for this, leave him alone,” Sam grumbled. 

“Butt-out, Samuel! You’re one to talk! Leaving your own flesh and blood to deal with bullies, self-hate, and self-harm all on her own!” Both Sam and Colby’s eyes widened. “You’re not any better…”

“S-self-harm?” Colby looked at me with shock. I looked into his eyes and could see the heartbreak. “Why- why didn’t you tell us you were going through that?”

“Why didn’t you answer every time I tried?” Tears fell down my cheeks and both of them looked down. Sam stood up and left, slamming my door behind me. I sniffled and bit my lip as a soft whimper escaped. 

Colby stook and tried to approach me but I scooted back on the bed against the wall. Away from him. “No.”

“Bella please,” A tear fell down his cheek. “I just wanna hold you.”

My heart throbbed, but I still shook my head. “No. Go away. I don’t- I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“Fine,” He wiped his eyes and left the room, closing the door silently behind himself. I heard another bedroom door shut and there was a short moment of silence before music started playing. It was soft, barely audible, but the song playing was… was a song Colby and I listened to together. 

The song I played for him on my phone after every single one of his panic attacks. Every. Single. One. 

“Safe Inside”, by James Arthur.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -self harm warning-

That night, while I was attempting to get to sleep, I had just started finally drifting off when I felt a tug on my heart and woke up. I heard crying. Soft crying, but evident. The sound was familiar. It’s a sound I grew to memorize. It’s Colby. 

“Ugh, sometimes I really hate my heart,” I mumbled to myself as I stood up, put some socks on and slid on one of my old hoodies and walked out to the hallway. I had to listen for a while to find Colby’s room, but as soon as I heard him crying I was able to find it immediately. 

I knocked on the door and he silenced on the spot. “Who is it?”

“Sam’s asleep by seven. You know I’m the only one awake right now.”

“What do you want?” He asked. “I’m-”

“Don’t tell me you’re fine. I know you’re not. So don’t even try it.”

“Come in,” He said, almost desperately. “Please.”

I entered the room, unsure of what I’d walk in to. Then my heart dropped into my chest. Colby was sitting on his desk chair, razor blade stained with crimson blood on the desk. He held toilet paper to his forearm, 

“Here,” I closed his door behind me and approached him. I reached out for his arm and took his hand, pulling it away from the toilet paper on his arm. I replaced his hand with mine and pushed onto his skin hard and he winced. “I know it hurts, just watch.”

“It hasn’t stopped in an hour, it’s not gonna stop,” Colby said. “I know how this goes.”

“How?” I asked him. “Y-you’ve done it before?”

“Yeah,” Colby sniffled. “You weren’t the only one affected three years ago.”

I removed my hand from his arm and the bleeding stopped. 

“I can go get bandaids,” Colby got up but I pushed him right back down into the chair. 

“No, the scars will heal faster if they’re not covered. Just keep this arm clean,” I sighed softly. “Colby, why’d you do this?”

“It’s my fault,” He scoffed. “All of it.”

“What do you mean?” I sat on the edge of his bed in front of his chair. The brunette sniffled and wiped his eyes, resting his chin on his hand. “What’s your fault?”

“Your depression, self-harm, loneliness… it was all on me,” He mumbled. “It was all me.”

“How? I don’t understand.”

“You had feelings,” He started, looking up at me. “And it scared me. So I left. I told Sam we needed to leave and continue our YouTube career elsewhere.”

“T-to avoid me…” I looked down, eyes watering. “Why? What is wrong with me? Why am I not allowed to have feelings for anyone?”

“I have feelings for you, Izzy.”

Everything went silent. 

Immediately.

“Y-you’re lying…”

“No,” He looked down. “B-but you probably hate me now. It’s fine.”

“I don’t hate you, I just…” A soft sigh left my lips. “It’s hard to trust you.”

The information looked like it hit him hard. I saw his entire aura just fall. He turned his gaze downward at the floor, mumbling his next words. “I’m sorry… it’s just- I want to be with you but when you said what you did in the room a while ago… I gave up I guess… I knew there would be no way you’d even consider being with me so it’s fine. You can go now. I’m okay.”

“Colby,” He looked up. “You sound like me. And that’s not- not Colby.”

He shrugged. “I fucked up. I have to learn to take it like the man I want to be.”

“I don’t hate you,” I repeated. “I really don’t. And trust- it can be rebuilt.”

“No,” He shook his head. “No, I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have.”

“Fine,” I stood and walked to the door. “If you ever want to discuss this again we can. I’ll be here.”

He nodded in reply and that’s when I just left. I didn’t let myself hurt Colby and myself anymore and just went back to my bedroom and went to sleep. Colby turned some music on again and eventually fell asleep too. 

-x-

The next morning was… tough. Because I had to go downstairs long enough to get something to eat. Colby was seated at the small table at the end of the island and was peacefully eating a bowl of cereal while scrolling through his Twitter feed. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to say something. But I couldn’t.

His arm with the scars on it was bare and out in the open. It’s only a matter of time before Sam sees it and asks what the scars are from. Colby will either tell him the truth or come up with some bullshit excuse for why he got cut up so bad. I found a couple of boxes of Pop-Tarts in the cabinet and picked out the Oreo ones, put them in the toaster, and laid them on a paper plate. 

Colby glanced up at me once before looking back down at his phone. I’m in sweats and a hoodie. Why the hell would he want to look at me? Anyway, I sat on the chair across from him, seeing as it was the only other chair there, and silently started eating my breakfast. 

“Never thought I’d see someone who makes sweats look good,” Colby said, looking up at me with a slight smile on his face. 

My heart smiled and I replied. “Yeah, well, never thought I’d see someone making eating a bowl of cereal look hot so. Guess we’re even.”

“Guess so,” He and I blushed and both looked down. 

What is going on? Is he not upset with me anymore? Did he think a little harder last night about what was said between us? Did he change his mind? 

“Morning, guys,” Sam said while coming down the last few stairs. “Morning, Izzy. Never thought I’d see you actually sitting down here with people.”

I scoffed lightly and picked up my plate and took it upstairs. 

-3rd POV-

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” Sam looked at his best friend. 

“Get rid of Izzy like that.”

“It was her choice to leave, I didn’t force her to.”

“We’re trying to make it better,” Colby told Sam. “We’re trying to restart. You should have seen her this morning. She was open to talking to me and was actually really nice.”

“She’s only nice to you because she likes you,” Sam said. “It’s not going to be long before she falls for someone else.”

“Whoah,” Colby scoffed. “What is with you, Sam? Ever since Izzy got here you’ve been like- the opposite of yourself.”

“Because all we ever did before we left three years ago was fight,” Sam retorted. “It’s hard to just let that go.”

“Why?” Colby asked rudely. “Because Bella and I are doing it just fine.”

“It’s a different relationship, Colby,” Sam grumbled. “You’re able to fix it easy because you like her. You want to fix it.”

“She’s your sister, you should want to fix it just as much as I want to maybe more,” Colby said. “You’re family. You share the same blood.”

“Speaking of, what’s all the scars on your arm, man?”

“Don’t change the subject,” Colby growled. “You’re disrespecting Izzy when she hadn’t even said a word to you yet this morning. And I’m not sure how much I want to hang out with a disrespectful person.”

“See! She’s doing exactly what we thought she would back then! She’s making us fight, Colby!”

“No,” The brunette stood and set his empty bowl in the sink. “You’re making us fight, Sam. She hasn’t done anything wrong to you.”

“Sure,” He mumbled in reply as Colby left the kitchen to the second floor of the house. He knocked on Isabella’s door. 

“Hey, it’s Colby,” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I was just wondering if you wanted to come hang out with me and Brennen today? I know it’s kind of sudden and you might not want to but- I think getting out of the house would be good for you and-”

Izzy opened the door and stood in front of him. “Who’s Brennen?”

“A friend I made here in LA, you don’t know him yet but you’ll like him. He’s really sweet and funny,” Colby said. “So you in?”

“I don’t know,” She smirked a little. “You’ll stay there and not leave me alone with the stranger?”

“No way,” He smiled down at her. “I’ll be there the whole time.”

“Okay,” She nodded. “Let me get ready.”

Colby turned away from her door after it closed and smiled, celebrating internally because he’s finally going to redeem himself. He’s going to make up for the time apart. He’s gonna get another chance to get his girl.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don’t think there are any warnings 🤔

“So this is Sam’s famous little sister?” Brennen grinned at me standing slightly behind Colby. Oh, that’s another thing I forgot to mention. I’m shy and anxious around new people. I’m like a puppy, I know. Trust me, I’ve heard from many, 

“Not really famous,” I told him, studying his features. Bright green eyes, soft blonde highlighted brunette hair, and a smile so contagious it might make Scrooge crack a grin. God, I fell for him instantly. “But you know about me?”

Colby looked down in shock almost that I was opening up to Brennen so fast. He stepped back from me a little bit and watched as Brennen inched closer to me and escorted me into the small apartment. “So, this is my place.”

“It’s cozy,” I said and plopped down on the couch. He snickered and sat next to me, smoothly wrapping an arm around my shoulder as Colby sat next to him, looking kinda jealous if I’m honest. “So what do you guys usually do when you hang out here?”

“Talk up the latest drama, film, usually random shit,” Colby shrugged. 

“We got a new guest this time,” Brennen said. “We can do anything you want to.”

“I’m down just to watch a movie,” I said. “Is that cool with you?”

“Yeah,” Brennen turned the TV on and scooted closer to me. “Something funny, right?”

“Obviously.”

“You know, Elton just texted me. He actually needs some help with merch designs for Send It. I’m gonna go,” Colby stood. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I rested my head on Brennen’s shoulder and sighed softly in content. 

“Bring her home at a decent time,” Colby told Brennen. 

“I will, buddy.”

Colby left the apartment and that’s when Brennen gave me a look. “Okay, what’s this about?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re acting all okay with Colby leaving suddenly, but when you guys got here you acted like he was your boyfriend,” Brennen said. “Why the sudden change?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Just fell for someone else I guess.”

“Cute,” Brennen scoffed and scooted away from me. “I can’t do this.”

“Do what?” I asked. “What are we doing?”

“You’re interested, and it’s cute, I appreciate it I really do, but Colby’s had the biggest crush on you since high school. I can’t do that to him.”

“Fine,” I sighed. “I just- he and Sam are always fighting about me and I feel like if we get together it’s not going to get any better. I can’t be with him and I don’t know how to tell him that.”

“So you think the best way to do that is to get with his best friend?” Brennen raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know anything about relationships do you?”

“I mean- I’ve never really been with anyone before.”

“Oh, yeah that’s obvious,” Brennen scoffed. “I can’t stand by and watch my best friend get hurt. Get out. I don’t want anything to do with you. Make it work out with Colby or go back to Kansas.”

“I can’t!” I fired back. “I can’t go back, okay? My parents forced me to come live with Sam.”

“How old are you? Can’t you get your own place?”

“Seventeen,” I said. “Why does my age matter?”

“Seventeen?!” Brennen scoffed. “You’re telling me- you’re a seventeen-year-old girl who’s in love with a twenty-two-year-old man?”

“Brennen stop,” My eyes watered. He’s giving me shit for my feelings. The stuff that caused my depression three years ago to begin with. “Seriously, you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I think I do,” Brennen opened his apartment door. “Get out. I don’t have time for a little teenage girl with a hormonal celebrity crush. Get out.”

I got up from the couch and stormed past him, wiping my tears as I went, and sat out on the bench outside and called Colby. He picked up immediately. “Hello? You alright, Izzy?”

“No,” I sniffled. “Can you come pick me up? You can just take me home, I don’t care where I just need to be away from here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Colby replied. “I’m on my way. Be there in a little bit.”

“Thank you.”

-x-

“What’s wrong?” Colby asked as I sat in his car and buckled my seatbelt. 

“Brennen,” I sighed angrily but the only thing to follow was more tears. “He said some awful things about me and my age and- I just needed to get out of there.”

“What did he say?”

“N-not right now,” I Said. “I’m not in the right mood to talk about it.”

“Alright. Not gonna push,” Colby nodded. 

The car was silent as he drove us both home. I had my chin rested on my hand as I looked out the window watching the palm trees pass by. We passed by the beach and I gasped softly. “Colby, pull over.”

“Wha- right here?” He pulled the car over and I got out, sprinting towards the beach. “Izzy!! Wait up!!”

“Come on!! They won’t be here for long!!” I ran across the sand and jumped up onto the empty pier. Colby caught up and we both took in the sight. Dolphins jumping around just off the beach in the sunset. I sat down on the edge of the pier and dangled my legs over the edge. Colby sat next to me. 

“You know…” Colby sighed. “Your age doesn’t bother me.”

“Glad to hear someone doesn’t,” I looked out over the water. “Just wish I had heard it three years ago.”

“My timing’s bad,” Colby looked over at me, even though my eyes stayed fixed on the gentle ripples in the water below us. “But that doesn’t mean it’s not genuine.”

“You’re just saying it because you feel bad,” I scoffed lightly. “Because Brennen was a dick about it.”

Before I could react, Colby grabbed my face, turned my head to face him, and smashed his lips onto mine roughly multiple times, then pulled away and rested his forehead on mine. “I think I mean it.”

“You’re joking…” I scoffed again. “It- it’s pity… it’s all pity…”

“No,” Colby shook his head and looked into my eyes. “Why do you always think it’s pity? Why can’t you believe that someone loves you?”

“L-love?” I pulled back. “You’re joking…”

“No, you really don’t know do you?” He looked into my eyes. “Izzy, you helped me every single day of my high school career. Granted, I was a senior when you were a freshman, but that doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t help me. I fell in love with you because you fell in love with me in my rough times. I could care less that you’re three years younger than me.”

“Colby,” I looked down. “You don’t want me. I have so many issues. I don’t want to put you through more shit than I already have.”

“Listen to me,” Colby lifted my chin. “I have issues too. Lord knows there’s a lot of them. But we’re gonna deal with them together, okay?” 

“Okay,” I nodded. 

“I love you, Izzy,” Colby leaned in and kissed me again. “And I’m sorry I said it so late.”

“I love you too, Colby.”

-x-

By the time we got back home, Sam was sitting on the couch alone, slightly frustrated. “Colby, you texted me you were going to be home an hour ago.”

“I’m sorry,” He apologized. “Got distracted.”

“And Bella I thought you were with Brennen?”

“No,” I answered. “He wasn’t very nice to me and said some things that hurt me so I asked Colby to come to pick me up. That’s why he was late.”

“Oh,” Sam nodded. “Okay then. Well, I’m sorry too, I guess. Izzy, can I talk to you?”

“Yeah,” I left Colby’s side as Sam led me out of the sliding glass back door out to the back patio. We each sat in a lawn chair. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to genuinely apologize for how I’ve been acting,” Sam frowned. “I did some thinking here alone and I finally realized how much of a dick Colby and I both were to leave you back three years ago. You needed us to stay and we left to selfishly protect what we had. I’m sorry. Family isn’t supposed to desert family the way that I did. And on top of that, I was a douche when you came back here to fix it.”

“I forgive you,” I said honestly, and he looked right into my eyes with a look of shock. “Colby and I fixed things, you and I are in the process of doing so. Sam, I just want to move on, to get better, to go back to how we were three years ago. It’s all I want.”

“Me too,” He looked down again. “I just- I can’t believe I ignored your texts and calls when you were trying to contact me. You were going through self-harm and depression and you wanted- no, needed to talk to me and I ignored you.”

“Sam, look,” I showed him my arms. The scars on them just barely there. “They’re gone for the most part, and if everything’s getting better now, there most likely won’t be anymore. I love you, Samuel. And I really just want to start over. So you can be my big brother and I can be your little sister again.”

“Me too, come here,” Sam stood up and pulled me into a warm, tight hug. “I love you so much. I’m so happy we resolved this.”

“Me too,” I pulled back and sighed softly. “I have something to tell you, but you can’t freak out.”

“Oh, no,” Sam snickered. “I’m scared now.”

“I’m dating Colby,” I said quickly, hoping that if I said it fast he wouldn’t notice the nervous tone in my voice.

“Finally!” Sam scoffed. “After what- over three/four years now?! Colby get out here!”

“Yeah?” Colby exited the house and stood next to me. “What’s up?”

“You’re dating Izzy?”

“Yes, is there an issue?”

“Yes,” Sam narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. “Prove it.”

“Okay, how?” Colby asked my brother with a light chuckle.

“Kiss her,” Sam said. “Right smack on the lips.”

“I’d love to,” Colby grabbed my face, turned my cheek, and kissed me hard on the lips twice before pulling away with a smirk. “That good enough for you?”

“Yeah,” Sam scoffed with wide eyes. “Damn. Gonna have to keep an eye on you two.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -not wanting to spoil, but cancer trigger- (sorry)

“Sam, I need help!” 

Sam came running into my bedroom, scared I had injured myself, but when he saw me standing in front of my mirror, he took a breath of relief. He sat on my bed and sighed softly. “What’s up, sissy?”

“My jeans don’t fit anymore, none of them do,” I pouted and turned to the side, pressing my hands to my stomach and hips. 

“Why not? They too small?”

“Too big,” She turned around to face him. “I’m losing weight, Sam.”

“What?” Colby got out of the shower, white towel wrapped around his waist. He frowned at me. “Losing weight? No offense but you don’t have a lot of weight to lose there, babe.”

“I know,” I sat on the end of my bed and sighed as my eyes started watering. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Here, let me get dressed, gimme a second,” Colby put a pair of boxers and shorts on and came back into my bedroom. He sat next to me and wrapped one of his tan, muscled arms around my waist. “What’s going on, babe?”

“I don’t know,” I laid my head on his shoulder. “I feel sick and like- I hurt.”

“Hurt? Where?” Colby leaned back to look at where I rested my hand. Right above where my bladder and uterus are. 

“Right here,” I groaned softly. “I don’t know what it is.”

“Losing weight, pain, you’re not eating much at all, Izzy we should go in and get it checked out,” Sam said. “Seriously.”

“No,” I sat up quickly. “I-I can’t do that. You know how I am.”

“I do, but me and Colby will be there with you, okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded and laid back on Colby. “But only if both of you are there.”

“Mike and Elton can wait,” Colby said. “The health of my girlfriend is more important.”

-x-

“Izzy?” A doctor stepped out into the waiting room. All of us stood, and immediately I took Colby’s hand. Scared is an understatement. 

“You’re okay, love,” Colby whispered into my ear before pressing his lips to my temple in a loving kiss. I sat up on the bed whilst Colby and Sam sat on the two chairs. The doctor stood by the counter with her laptop. 

“Alright, so what’s going on, honey?”

“A lot,” I scoffed lightly.

“Alright, well, give it all to me.”

I glanced over at Sam and he nodded, telling me that I was okay to tell this lady everything that’s been going on. So, I decided just to vent. 

“I’ve been losing weight lately while not trying to, I have this really bad pain in like- my bladder area which makes it hard to go to the restroom, and then I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”

“Okay,” She nodded and typed a few things into her computer. “Have you noticed any random lumps or bumps anywhere?”

“No,” I answered.

“Alright, I think I know what this is, but we need to do more tests to make sure.”

“What- what do you think it is?” I asked hesitantly, and the doctor turned to Sam. 

“May I speak with you outside?”

“Yeah,” Sam got up and met the doctor outside of the room. I looked to Colby nervously and he shook his head with a scowl. 

“Anything she needs to tell Sam, she can tell all of us.”

“Maybe it’s something she only wants him to know first.”

-x-x- The Conversation Between Sam & The Doctor -x-x-

“So, with the symptoms she listed, all of them add up to ovarian cancer,” The doctor said. Sam’s eyes filled with tears and he shook his head.

“No. Not Izzy. Do tests, do whatever you have to do, she doesn’t have cancer. Not my baby sister.”

“Samuel, I’m telling you first so that if she indeed does have cancer, you will have been the first to know and the one to keep her in high spirits. Because the one thing that can make all of it worse is if the patient is upset about their diagnosis.”

“I know,” The blonde nodded, then took a shaky deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. “Just- do what you have to. Make her better.”

“Very well.

-x-x- Back to Izzy but 3rd Person POV -x-x-

Samuel and the doctor entered the room and immediately Izzy was suspicious. Her brother’s in tears, and he doesn’t usually cry. Colby’s just as confused and concerned. The doctor approached me. 

“Isabella, may I escort you to the lab? We have some tests to run.”

“Y-yes,” I answered nervously and turned to Colby who grabbed my hand.

“You’ll be alright, love. I’m gonna be waiting right here when you get back.”

As soon as the doctor and Izzy left the room, and the door was shut completely, Sam rested his head in his hands and sighed heavily. 

“What’s going on, Sam?” Colby asked him.

“She um,” Sam looked up, but not at Colby, at the wall. “She thinks Izzy has cancer.”

“What?” Colby teared up. “You’re kidding. Not Bella. It’s- it’s a stomach bug.”

“I don’t know, man,” Sam shook his head and finally met eyes with the brunette next to him. “Izzy said she was in pain, right where the cancer would be. She’s losing weight and her appetite isn’t patterned either. It’s- it’s realistic.”

“Fuck,” Colby cursed, covering his face with his hands as he looked down, his elbows rested on his knees when he leaned forward. “How do we- is she going to have to st-stay here now?’

“I don’t know,” Sam shrugged, then nodded. “Most likely.”

“She hates hospitals,” Colby wiped tears from his eyes. 

“I know,” Sam sighed. “Doc said we have to stay positive. Because an upset patient only makes themselves worse.”

“She has cancer, man!” Colby scoffed. “How the hell do we stay positive?!”

“I don’t know, but if you’re already freaking out I might have to ask you to leave.”

“Sam, seriously?” Colby looked up. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then before she gets in here, please calm down,” Sam warned him. “Please.”

The two boys went silent then. Both of them lost in their thoughts. Until the door opened and in came Izzy, who seeing both her brother and boyfriend in tears, refused to sit down on the bed until she got answers. 

“Izzy, hey, please sit down,” Sam stood up and approached his little sister, nudging her gently towards the bed, but when she resisted he sighed. “Izzy please.”

“No, not until I know why both of you are crying,” She answered, looking back to Colby, right in his eyes. “Baby, please. You know I hate not knowing this kind of thing.”

“Miss, I’m going to need you to sit on the bed please.”

“No!” Izzy stepped away from the doctor and walked right to Colby who opened his arms so she could sit on his lap. She cuddled into him and rested her head on his shoulder. The grip he had around her was tighter than usual and it bothered Izzy even more. 

“So, we should get your tests back in about an hour,” The doctor said. “So you can stay here or go home and we’ll send them to you.”

“Stay here, because I’m not leaving until I get answers,” Sam replied. 

Izzy, who had gone silent on Colby, felt her boyfriend tense under her when the doctor closed her laptop and looked at Izzy. “Miss Isabella, I’m assuming you would like to know what they know.”

“Yes,” She answered quietly. 

“With all of the symptoms you listed, the pain in your lower body, your inconsistent eating pattern, loss of weight and appetite, and the aches and pains in your body, the nurses and I think you may have a rare type of cancer.”

“W-what…?” Her heart pounded in her chest while it broke, she couldn’t find the right words to say so she just went silent, lone tears falling from her eyes but with absent cries. 

“So, we’ll know for sure when the tests come back in about an hour,” The doctor said. “I told your brother first so he could be educated before you. So he could help you with the diagnosis.”

When Izzy refused to speak, the doctor said she would be back when the tests came in, she left. Sam got up as well, said he needed to just take a walk around to process things, and he left shortly after the doctor did. 

Colby, however, stayed with Izzy. Her silence was alarming him and he wanted to help. He needed to hear her voice. “Baby… say something… please…”

Her boyfriend’s little mumbles into her ear made her heart hurt. “I’m s-so scared…”

“So am I,” He admitted. “But we do this together. Just like everything else.”

That’s when the crying became more apparent. Soft sobs left her paired with the tears, and all Colby could resort to was the things he knew that calmed her the best. Their relationship is relatively new, but he’s known her for years. Long enough to know what helps her. 

“I’m gonna be right here the whole time,” Colby whispered to her, right in her ear. “Always. I’m never gonna leave. We’re gonna fight this together, okay? You and me.”

Izzy was silent again, and that’s when Colby had noticed she had cried herself to sleep in his arms. It hurt his heart to come to that realization but nonetheless, he still held her close and awaited the arrival of the doctor… and the truth of the tests.

When the doctor had arrived, however, shortly after Sam did, she held the papers that contained the fate of Izzy. The doctor’s face wasn’t revealing anything, it was rather blank in fact. Hard to read. The group remained quiet in respect for Izzy being asleep, but the doctor made it a point to tell the two boys of Izzy’s reuslts as soon as she could. 

“So the tests came back, but they’re not what we thought they’d be,” The doctor said, giving both boys hope that maybe their assumptions were wrong. Maybe they all came back cancer negative and Izzy was okay. Just a little stomach bug like Colby had said in his denial. 

“What do they say?” Sam asked eagerly.

“She does have ovarian cancer,” The doctor sighed, killing the hopes of both Sam and Colby in the process. “You guys brought her in at a good time. Because we need to send her to a cancer center right away so she can get settled in and start her treatments.”

“Settled in?” Colby asked. “As in, staying there?”

“Yes,” The doctor answered. “It’s easier for her to complete her treatments if she’s comfortable in a room already there.”

“She won’t be comfortable though,” Colby sighed and rubbed his forehead frustratedly. “Sam, you can take her, right? I-I gotta go.”

“Go?” Sam raised an eyebrow. “Where? Why now? Buddy we have to get her in.”

“I need a drive or something,” Colby teared up. “Seriously. I can’t be all worked up when she wakes up. I have to go. Please take her.”

“Yeah,” Sam replaced Colby’s warmth when he got up and Sam held his sister close as she stirred slightly in her sleep but remained completely out of it. Colby left the room immediately, so worked up with emotion that he didn’t truly know how to react. To any of it. 

“Where will she be staying? Do you have a place already set up?”

“There’s a couple of options,” The doctor said. “All out of state.”

“Out of state?” Sam’s eyes widened. “So you’re telling me we have to take her from her home, take her from her city, and make her stay in a hospital till further notice?”

“Yes,” The doctor sighed. “I’m very sorry, but Los Angeles doesn’t currently have a cancer treatment center.”

“Okay, well is there any in California at all?”

“The closest is Indiana,” She said. 

“Over two thousand miles from here,” Sam sighed and took a moment to process everything, then he nodded. “Get her a room I guess. Make sure it has a window.”

“Very well,” The doctor nodded. “We will pay for her airfare so you don’t have to worry about that, but we do recommend you bring things from home to keep in the room with her. Chances are it will be a while before she comes back.”

“That’s hopeful.”

“It’s realistic,” The doctor replied very unproffessionally rudely. 

“When do we leave?” Sam asked.

“I would reccomend in the next day or two. We don’t want to waste any time. The longer we wait, the stronger the cancer gets, and the harder it will be to cure.”

“Alright. So we can leave now?”

“Yes, I will remain in contact until Izzy is settled in a room at the treatment center.”

Sam stood up, carrying his sister in his arms tightly, and turned to the doctor with a scowl before he left. “It’s Isabella.”


	5. Chapter 5

Izzy woke up in a room that wasn’t hers. Everything felt off. She looked out of the window in the back of the room and saw oak trees instead of palm trees. There was frost on the glass and coats hung up on the rack by the door. 

She wasn’t home. She wasn’t in LA. 

But what scared her the most was the absence of her brother and boyfriend. 

She wanted nothing more than the safe embrace of her boyfriend right there next to her, she felt unsafe and scared and cold and she needed the security. She started crying softly, realizing where she was. There were IV’s in her arms and one in her wrist, which was extremely painful. There are a few posters around the room talking about hope and believing in yourself and one about the Christian faith, having trust in God that He will guide your paths or whatever. She’s in a cancer center out of state. 

She whimpered lightly, every part of her needing Colby. Needing familiarity. But she couldn’t get up to find him and she knows that. So immediately she sat up a little but fell back with a yelp, her stomach and entire lower half ached and it was hard to move much at all. The door opened to her room and a man entered. He wore glasses and all-white robes, there was a clipboard held in his arm and he clicked a pen, writing something on the paper before looking up at her.

“Alright, so we’ve got some things to discuss about your treatment plan. Do you have any family here?”

“I-I don’t know,” She sniffled. “I don’t want to talk about anything without them.”

“Okay, well, we have two young men in the cafe down the hall. One of them looks just like you. Would you like me to retrieve them?”

“Yeah… b-both of them.”

“Right away.”

He smiled at Izzy, and it made her feel very uncomfortable. She sat in silence as she waited. Shortly, the door opened again and in came Sam and Colby. Both of them immediately finding seats next to Izzy’s bed. Colby slipped his hand into hers, locking their fingers together. 

“So, the tests we got from St. Mary’s in Los Angeles rang up here as Stage IIA ovarian cancer. Thankfully, the treatment path we have set up for you is quick. Rough- for sure- but quick,” The man started, glancing down at his clipboard then back up at Izzy and the boys. “You guys have any questions so far?”

“What the hell does stage IIA mean?” Colby asked.

“Basically means that the cancer is on one of her ovaries and is close to or already has spread to the pelvic area. Which is why she’s dealing with a lot of pain. Not right now, we medicated her so the pain won’t be as aggressive as before. Is it working?”

“Yeah,” Izzy answered and laid back on the pillow. She yawned and it confused Sam.

“You’re tired? Didn’t you just wake up?”

“Her body’s fighting cancer, Sam,” Colby said. “She’s gonna be a lot more tired than usual.”

“Very good,” The doctor nodded at Colby’s words. “But, as I was saying, since it’s only stage II, it means we can remove most of it, hopefully, with a surgery called unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Yet there are risks.”

“Like?” Sam looked at the man. 

“Intraoperative tumor spillage,” The doctor said, making Izzy sit up with a concerned expression. 

“What- what’s that?”

“Intraoperative tumor spillage is when the cancerous tumor ruptures during the removal surgery and the cancer spreads. But I will assure you that our team hasn’t ever had a patient that has happened to. I think you’re in good hands.”

“Okay, and after that?” Colby said. “You said you can remove most of the cancer, what about the rest of it?”

“Then we will start her on adjuvant chemotherapy, which is chemotherapy that is given after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer. For the specific type of cancer she has, the specific drugs typically are carboplatin given with paclitaxel or docetaxel intravenously. Meaning she’ll be on IV.”

“Always or…?” Sam rested his chin on his hand. “Will she be constantly getting the medication or will it be periodic?”

“Well, after the surgery there won’t be much of the cancer left, so we could really have her cured in maybe three weeks. If done dose-densely. Meaning she’ll have one two-hour-long treatment session every week for three weeks and by then the cancer should be either completely gone or in remission.”

Izzy tightened her grip on Colby’s hand and Colby turned to her, a soft smile on his face at the relief. “We’ve got this.”

“You came in at a good time,” The doctor said. “Any longer and she would have been a stage III, which is a lot harder to treat.”

“One more question,” Sam looked up. “With this kind of surgery and treatment and cancer, will it mean she won’t be able to have kids in the future?”

“No,” The doctor smiled. “The thing with this surgery, unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, is that it’s only the removal of one ovary and fallopian tube, both of which are located on the same side of the body and share a common blood supply. So, yes, she will still be able to get pregnant and have children in the future.”

“Good,” Colby smiled down at her, placing a gentle kiss on Izzy’s temple. “You can still be a momma, baby.”

“So, here comes my question,” The doctor set his pen on the board and sighed softly, his green eyes darting around the group. “Would you like to start on your treatments with the surgery, or would you want to not have the surgery and take a more aggressive chemotherapy treatment path for a longer stretch of time without risks?”

“This is all you,” Sam looked at his younger sister, who then looked at Colby.

“Your choice, love,” Colby told her. “Whatever you want is what I want.”

“I-I think I want to do the surgery…” She answered with a nod. “I’d rather take the risk and get the surgery to hopefully make it all go away faster than be in pain for months with the chemo.”

“Smart choice,” The doctor said. “And let me remind you, our surgical team has done this procedure so many times, they could probably do it in their sleep. There’s a very high success rate with this kind of procedure. We’ve had so many patients here who’ve had it done and were able to leave only weeks after the procedure. You’re on the way to remission.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Sam kissed her hand. “So very proud.”

“We can do the procedure as early as tonight if you would like,” The doctor suggested. “Whatever is most comfortable for you, but keep in mind that the sooner we do it the less of a risk it is.”

“Tonight,” Izzy answered quickly. “As soon as you can do it.”

“I like the tenacity,” The doctor chuckled, as did Colby and Sam. Izzy did as well.

“That’s why I love her,” Colby smiled at his girlfriend. “She’s passionate. Does what she knows needs to be done when it needs to be done.”

“Alright, I’ll give you three a couple of minutes of privacy while I tell the team and get everything ready, then I’ll be back in to get you, okay?”

“Mhm,” Izzy nodded and the man left. Sam took a deep breath in and sighed it out shakily. Izzy smiled at her older brother and stroked her palm on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. “I’ll be okay, Sammy. I promise. You heard him. High success rate.”

“Then three weeks after that we get to go back home,” Colby scoffed with teary eyes. “You get to see LA again.”

“And all of this will seem like just a bad dream,” Izzy told Sam who nodded and sat up. 

“Well, I’m ready. Let’s get this show on the road. I gotta take a piss, so give me a second. Don’t go anywhere while I’m in there, alright?”

“Okay,” Izzy giggled at her brother who got up and ran to the bathroom, leaving Colby and Izzy in private. 

Her boyfriend sighed and stroked her soft cheek. “I can’t believe you. How brave you are. It’s truly amazing to see. Back home you were a mess.”

“Because I didn’t think I’d have a chance to come out of it all so fast.”

“True,” Colby nodded. “I’m proud of you, baby. Really. You’re doing better with this than I am.”

“I’ll be okay,” She told her tearing up boyfriend. “I’m gonna go in there, they’re gonna remove shit, and I’m gonna come back out and be okay. Then I’m gonna have a couple of weeks of therapy and we’ll go back home.”

“I’ve got some big plans,” Colby smiled and wiped his eyes. “Some really big plans. Sam and I both do.”

“Like what?”

“How about we make it a surprise until after your surgery. You come out of the surgery and back in here, and when you wake up Sam and I will tell you.”

“Okay,” She nodded. “I like that plan.”

Sam came back into the room with his hands up to his nose. “The soap in the bathroom smells like cotton candy. It’s weird.”

Laughter jumped around the room as he sat in the chair, then it subsided when everything went silent. Izzy looked at both of them. “I love you guys. So much.”

“We love you too,” Sam kissed her head. “We just want you to know how proud of you we both are. You’re awesome, Izzy.”

“I’m just ready to be home, I miss the palm trees and being outside and the beach,” Izzy looked out of the window longingly. “I hate looking out the window at an oak tree and a brick wall behind that.”

“I bet you do,” Sam smiled. “When we get home you can sit right on your balcony and look out over the beach and ocean. Classic LA sunsets, baby.”

“Balcony?” She questioned. “Sam, the house doesn’t have a balcony.”

“Well, the n-” Colby nudged Sam and gave him a look. Sam then lit up and nodded. “I said too much apparently. I think Colby wants it to be a surprise, so it’ll stay a surprise.”

“I’m excited now,” Izzy smiled. “A balcony all my own sounds like heaven.”

“Knock knock,” The doctor entered the room again and butterflies swarmed Izzy’s stomach. Out of instinct, she reached for Sam’s hand. “The team’s all ready. Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” She nodded with a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with. I don’t want to be stuck in here anymore.”

The doctor chuckled. “You know, Izzy, I like you. You’re probably one of the most hopeful and confident patients I’ve ever had. Alright, let’s do this. Say bye to the boys.”

“Bye guys, I’ll be right back,” Izzy smiled over at the two boys, Colby sat up to kiss her passionately, and Sam leaned in for one last hug. “I love you both.”

“We love you too, sissy.”


	6. Chapter 6

Hours later, the doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and tossed his spoiled gloves into the trashcan on the way out of the surgical room. After a successful three and a half hour surgery, he was thankful to be able to return to Izzy’s room and tell Sam and Colby of the surgery’s outcome. 

He entered the room and found Sam sitting on the rocking chair with his phone in hand scrolling through some media posts, and Colby was in the back fast asleep on the couch under the window. “Hey, boys.”

“Doc,” Sam sat up immediately and pocketed his phone. The doctor glanced back at Colby but Sam shook his head. “I wouldn’t. He um… just had a panic attack. I like to let him sleep after those.”

“Yeah, smart,” The doctor sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes, then grinned. “The surgery went very well. She’s alright and is healing up perfectly. I think I was the one to be doing the most work in that room, but I don’t think a patient’s ever been easier to work on than she was.”

“Oh thank god,” Sam scoffed, he stood up and hugged the doctor. “Thank you so much. Seriously. That’s my little sister. She’s Colby’s girlfriend too and he’d be a mess without her.”

“You’re very welcome,” The doctor smiled and nodded. “Onto chemo and she’s out of here.”

“She’ll be coming back to the room, right?”

Just as Sam said that the door to the room opened again and Izzy’s bed was wheeled back into the room and ‘parked’ it where it was before. The short blonde girl inside was fast asleep and wrapped up in a small, soft white blanket. She looked so peaceful and it made Sam’s entire body relax for the first time since her diagnosis. 

“She’ll be alright,” The doctor smiled. “I have high hopes for her. She might not even need a full chemo treatment. She’s a living, breathing miracle, Samuel, that sister of yours.”

“You got that right,” Sam sighed softly. “Truly.”

“I’ll leave you guys to rest. If she wakes up she shouldn’t be in pain. The medication from the surgery should last until the morning. If not then you can always push that blue button on the remote there and a nurse will come and help you guys.”

“Alright. Thank you, again. Have a good night.”

“You guys too. Get some rest.”

“I think, tonight, I’ll finally sleep easy.”

And that he did, slept peacefully like a baby. When he woke up the next morning, he discovered Colby still passed out on the couch in the back of the room, but Izzy was awake, staring back at Colby from her bed. Blanket pulled up to her face. She yawned and rubbed her big blue eyes. Sam smiled, to him, she’ll always be his baby sister, no matter how old they get.

“Hey, sleepy,” Sam grinned at the sleepy girl in front of him. “You sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” She answered, eyes still on Colby. “Is he okay? His face… he looks like he fell asleep upset.”

“He’s alright,” Sam said. “Had a panic attack after you went in. He got so protective, you should have seen it. I thought it was cute at first, him wanting to ask if he could watch over the procedure, but when he started actually freaking out I had to sit him down and remind him to breathe. Then he kind of… cried himself to sleep.”

“Baby,” She frowned. “I wish I could tell him I’m okay. I hope he’s not having a nightmare.”

“He’ll see you here when he wakes up, he’ll be alright,” Sam smiled at her. “Shouldn’t be long. How are you feeling, Izzy?”

“I’m feeling okay,” Izzy smiled softly. “My stomach hurts a little but I think that’s just my body getting used to the absence of organs.”

Sam chuckled at his sister’s humor, he missed it. “Okay, good, doc said if you’re having any actual pain we can call a nurse and get someone to come in and give you more medication that won’t interfere with your chemo.”

“Ugh,” Izzy sighed. “Not looking forward to it.”

“Hey, doc said with the amount of stuff they removed last night, he said you might not even need a full treatment term. He said you might get away with maybe one week.”

“Really?!” Izzy sat up excitedly but winced a little and laid back down. “Maybe I should stay laying down.”

“Maybe,” Sam and Izzy both laughed a little, then they both heard Colby stir on the couch in the back of the room. He stretched and yawned, and when he finally sat up and opened his eyes, he smiled so big.

“Bella.”

“Hey, baby,” She smiled as well, letting out a light chuckle as her eyes watered. “Come here.”

“I don’t wanna hurt anything,” Colby approached her cautiously. Izzy lifted her blanket to let him in but he pushed her arm back down. “No, you keep it, you look warm.”

“Screw warm, I want you,” Izzy lifted the blanket anyway and Colby climbed onto the bed next to her and she pressed her body against his, nuzzling her nose into his chest. He carefully rested his hand on her waist and pressed his lips to her forehead. 

“I was worried about you,” He told her. “Really worried.”

“I heard,” Izzy frowned. “I’m okay though. Doc said the surgery was great and I might not even need to stay long for an entire chemo session.”

“Really?” Colby smiled. “I’m happy to hear that. Really.”

“Yeah,” She looked up at him. “We could go home sooner than we thought.”

“Speaking of home,” Sam smiled. “We have a surprise for you. We promised we’d tell you after your surgery.”

“You did!” Izzy giggled, and Colby shook his head with a grin, unable to accept the fact that his girlfriend, once unable to move much in bed, was now jumping around and wanting to get up and move and is cracking jokes. It’s crazy for him to see the transformation. “What’s the surprise? I already know about the balcony, so tell me more. Tell me all of it!”

“Alright, alright,” Sam chuckled. “We’re moving out of the house.”

“What?! Why?!”

“Because we’re getting apartments,” Colby smiled down at her. “You and me, and Sam and Kat.”

“Wait… wait…” She teared up. “Y-you mean we get to live together?!”

“Yeah!” Colby grinned. “I get to wake up next to your beautiful sleepy face every single morning.”

“Oh my god, I’m so excited,” Izzy snuggled into Colby again. “I don’t even know how to react. This is so awesome. I’m so blessed.”

“That you are,” The doctor smiled when he came in, holding a packet of paper in his hands and a pen. “Guess what?”

“What? Is this a good guess or…?”

“How about I tell you,” The doctor chuckled and sat at the edge of her bed. “I need you to sign these.”

“What are they?” Izzy sat up with Colby’s help, his hand rested on the small of her lower back. “Papers for chemo?”

“Nope,” The doctor smiled. “Discharge papers.”

“W-what?” Everyone’s jaw dropped immediately. Izzy teared up in seconds and started crying. “I-I get to go- go home?”

“Yes, ma’am,” The doctor answered and handed her the papers. “You get to go home, we’ll send some medication home with you to help with your pain but it should go away in a matter of days.”

“I can’t believe this. How?”

“We got some tests back on the tumor and found out that it wasn’t as aggressive as we thought. We were able to remove all of it with the surgery. Your cancer is gone, Isabella. And I’m proud to be the one to tell you that you can go home.”

“God,” Sam scoffed, wiping tears from his eyes. “I can’t even- this doesn’t even make sense.”

“It came as a shock to us too, and believe me, we’re very confused as well, but we’ve done all of the tests and biopsies we can do, there really isn’t much of any other explanation other than the fact that all of it was removed in the surgery.”

“I wanna go home,” Izzy sniffled. “I wanna see LA.”

“We will, love,” Colby kissed her head. “Come on, let’s get you dressed.”

“It was nice to meet you, Izzy. your story isn’t one I’ll be forgetting.”

“It was nice to meet you too, doc,” She looked down at his nametag and smiled. “Murphy.”

The man chuckled and nodded. Sam signed the papers for Izzy and handed them off to the doctor who then left with a happy heart. The two boys aided Izzy in getting her dressed. They were careful with her new scars and they ended up leaving her skinny jeans off and wrapping Colby’s blanket around her waist to cover up her lower half. There wasn’t any way she was going to get those jeans on without pain. Colby carried her out of the hospital, Sam close in tow, and placed her in the passenger seat of the rental car. 

Sam sat in the backseat and snatched a picture of Colby kissing Izzy’s hand as he drove. “We did it, baby.”

“Back to LA,” She smiled out the window. “Back to LA.”

“Back to LA, it is.”


	7. Chapter 7

The return to LA was something special. Colby rolled the windows down in his car so Izzy could feel the warm breeze on her face again. She smiled immediately and let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes.

“Home.”

“Mmm,” Colby grinned over at her and took her hand, placing a gentle kiss on her hand. “Anywhere you are is home for me.”

“Cole,” Izzy turned to face him and she let her head rest on his shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Izzy,” Colby kissed her head and relaxed a little in his seat, finally able to breathe. He’s got his girl, healthy girl, and he’s back home in LA with some awesome big plans for the future. He’s excited that he gets to start living with his girlfriend in the near future. 

-x- 

Moving day came fast, and before they knew it, Colby had closed and locked the door the apartment he shared with Izzy, and turned to see her fast asleep on the couch in front of him. 

“Baby girl,” He smiled faintly, brushing her hair behind her ear. He sat next to her and laid his hand on her calf, stroking the soft skin gently. Her eyes opened a little and she winced. “You okay?”

“Meds wore off,” She replied. “I need another dose.”

“Alright, I got you,” Colby got up and retreieved the small bottle of pills from the kitchen counter and grabbed two of them with a water bottle and handed both items to Izzy with a soft frown. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” She rubbed her stomach. “My stomach just hurts.”

“Aw, I’m sorry,” Colby sat back down next to her and that’s when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He picked it up and smiled. “Sam wants to know if you’re alright.”

“Tell him I’m okay, he’s been over here all day. Now that he’s finally gone I want to just be with you.”

“Okay,” Colby typed a quick response text to Sam and pocketed his phone again, then when Izzy laid across his lap, he stroked his fingers through her hair. “Soon all of this soreness will go away, love. I promise.”

“I wish it would go faster,” She sighed. “I hate feeling like this.”

“Hey, I know you’re in pain right now, but think about it, you could still be back in that center doing chemo.”

“No,” She replied. “I’m glad to be home. I don’t want to even think about having to go back.”

“I know, baby,” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re home too, it’s gonna stay that way.”

Izzy sighed and turned on her back, looking right up at Colby. Her eyes meeting his and locking there. He chuckled softly. “What?”

“You’re just- you’re very good looking. Sometimes I just want to look at you,” She admitted with a blush. 

“Aw, you are too, beautiful.”

“Don’t lie, Colby, it doesn’t look good on you,” She told him. 

“I’m not, have you looked in the mirror lately?” 

“Don’t want to,” She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She was expecting Colby to say something else in reply, but she wasn’t expecting him to lean down and press his lips to hers intensely, slipping his tongue across her bottom lip. 

Her stomach flooded with butterflies and she sat up to straddle his legs. She grabbed his face and he held her hips tightly, both fully diving into each other. Colby lifted her shirt up over her head and his before he pushed her down onto the couch under him and kissed her neck intently, leaving a few pink marks on her skin, before trailing his lips lower. 

“Colby,” She pressed her hands to his shoulders and he looked up at her with lustful eyes. “N-no.”

“No, what?” He asked, kissing her stomach gently, teasing to go lower. “No letting me show you how much I love you? How beautiful you are? How much I appreciate you?”

“Colby, please,” She squirmed under him and pushed his shoulders again, trying to get his muscular build off of her. “Colby.”

“Shhh,” Colby tugged her shorts down off of her legs, revealing a rather skimpy pair of black underwear. A low growl rumbled from Colby’s chest and he kissed her waist, and that’s when Izzy really pushed him off of her. 

“Off!” She yelped and scooted back away from him immediately, tears welling up in her eyes. “I-I told you no! Why didn’t you listen?!”

“I-I’m sorry!” Colby stuttered. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. Baby, don’t.” Izzy redressed herself and stood up, slipping her Vans on. Colby came after her and grabbed her hand before she left the apartment but she yanked her hand back. 

“Don’t touch me!”

“Wha- baby I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry!”

“Just- I need a moment, Cole. Please.”

Colby watched her disappear down the hallway and enter the elevator that soon delivered her to the base floor with the car garage. He cursed under his breath and slammed the door behind him. He sat on the couch, scolding himself, before he shook his head and got in the shower, telling himself she’d eventually be back later that night to talk. 

Izzy, however, was en route to a bar. She, much like Colby, has fake ID’s, so she was able to get in easy. She didn’t stay long, however, because all of the drunks in the building were making her uncomfortable. So, she left the place and drove to the pier her and Colby had their first kiss and admitted their feelings for each other. Well- when Colby admitted his to her. He’s always known of her feelings for him. 

She sat in the silence for a while, until the tide rose slightly and the once calm ripples in the ocean turned into light waves that pushed the sand up further on the shore. She looked out over the horizon at the sunset over the water, it was a sight that she was sure defined her life. 

The last thing she wanted at that moment, was someone to interrupt her moment of peace and healing, but a voice behind her caused her entire body to tense up. It was a voice she hoped she’d never have to hear again. Her ex Boyd. From her junior year of high school. 

“Thought I’d find you here,” Boyd smirked, standing behind her so close she could feel his body heat on her back. “Where’s the boyfriend? Or your brother?”

“At their apartments,” She answered. “Why do you care?”

“Oh, I was just wondering why you were here alone. Have a fight with loverboy?” 

“That’s none of your business.”

“You did, I can tell,” Boyd smirked, then crouched down and covered Izzy’s mouth with his hand and tightly wrapped his arm around her waist, intensely squeezing the scar from her surgery let alone her healing insides from the cancer. She yelped and cried out in pain, making Boyd jump back and shove her forward, sending her falling over the edge of the pier and plunging into the cold ocean water. 

It was deep but she didn’t know how deep. Her eyes opened and she spotted a shadow in the water below her. She immediately tried to swim up to the surface but her entire lower half was screaming at her in pain. Izzy tried not to panic when she felt herself sink slowly due to her struggles, and she soon closed her eyes and stopped struggling. 

A gentle nudge on her back pushed her a little further up to the surface. And another, and another, and soon there were multiple forces pushing her to the surface of the water. Once she had reached the top, she sucked in a breath and started coughing, looking out around her. Multiple fins with rounded tips surrounded her, and it wasn’t until she reached out to one of them that she recognized they were none other than dolphins. 

They were helping her get to the shore, seeing as she was injured and unable to get to the shore on her own. Izzy groaned at the pain in her stomach and a few of the dolphins clicked and squeaked in reply, making their efforts to push her to shore a bit more desperate. A voice on shore grabbed her attention, however. 

“Oh my god, it’s Isabella Golbach,” A tall, blonde figure dove into the water and no pulled one of Izzy’s arms over his shoulder and helped her to shore. The dolphins swam off quickly to avoid being noticed by the three guys that now surrounded Isabella on the sand. A tall blonde boy with bright blue eyes hovered over her, but it wasn’t Sam, she knew that much. Another blonde guy, heavier set than the other two, with really curly hair, stood behind the blonde guy hovering over Izzy. “Do either of you have Colby Brock’s number? Or Sam’s?”

“No,” A tall brunette boy answered. 

Izzy whimpered softly and closed her eyes, the blonde figure hovering over her stroked her cheek and pushed the hair out of her face. “Hey, my name’s Daniel, we’re going to help you, okay? Corey, go get a blanket from the trunk of my car.”

The curly-haired boy ran off to get a blanket, and the brunette crouched next to Izzy and sighed, looking up at Daniel. “Bro, what do we do? Do we take her in to the hospital?”

“No,” Izzy whimpered, then started shaking her head in shock, moaning softly. “N-no… no…”

“Jonah! Daniel!” Corey panted as he ran towards them, another brunette boy behind him. “Kian’s got Colby’s number!”

“Gimme the blanket,” Jonah, the brunette from before, grabbed the blanket from Corey and wrapped it around Izzy tightly and started rapidly rubbing her arms to gather heat. “She’s freezing.”

“He’s not picking up,” Kian growled at his phone. “Pick up, dumbass! Your girlfriend’s gonna get hypothermia!”

“Don’t say that,” Daniel looked up at Kian. “She’s fine, she’s going to be fine, she’s just cold. I don’t see any blood anywhere, she’s breathing and talking fine, she’s okay.”

“Daniel, we should take her to the house,” Jonah said. “She’s gonna freeze if we keep her out here.”

“Yeah,” Daniel stood up and wrapped his arms under Izzy’s legs and the other under her back and lifted her up off of the sand. He turned back to the ocean with a confused expression. “Dolphins.”

“Yeah,” Jonah shook his head. “It’s crazy. She was saved by dolphins. Come on, buddy. We need to get her warm.”

“We’ll follow in Kian’s car,” Corey said as they both got in their car. Daniel laid Izzy across the backseat of his Tesla and turned the heat up, facing a few of the outlets towards her. Jonah sat in the back with her, to keep an eye on her, and Daniel started driving towards their home. 

As soon as they showed up, three other boys came running out of it, because Jonah texted them everything that’s been going on so far and that they may need help with Izzy. Daniel carried Izzy into the super nice house and laid her on the black couch and draped a soft red blanket over her and removed the slightly wet one from the beach. He handed it to a smaller brunette boy, who ran it into the laundry room in the garage. 

Soon, Kian and Corey entered the house and Kian was still on his phone. “I tried calling her brother too, neither of them answered.”

“Try Colby again,” Daniel said. “And keep trying until one of them picks up.”

“Oh! I got Colby. Hey, man. Oh, you were asleep, cool. Well, let me tell you, we just found your girlfriend on the beach being pushed to shore by dolphins. She was soaked and freezing and god knows why she was in the ocean if she couldn’t swim. But we need you to come get her.”

Kian told Colby the address of the house and he told them to tell her that he’s on the way and won’t be long. Then Kian hung up, said goodbye to the boys, and left with Corey. He’s not on the best terms with Colby because of what happened at the Queen Mary. So Kian had to leave before he got there.

“She’s shaking,” Corbyn, another blonde, looked down at Izzy with concern. “Is- is it just reaction?”

“I hope so,” Jonah scoffed. “We brought up going to the hospital when we found her at the beach and she told us no immediately.”

“Why was she swimming in the first place if she couldn’t?” Jack asked. 

“Who knows,” Daniel said, then scowled to himself. “Maybe it wasn’t even her fault.”

“Did you guys hear about her?” Zach, the smaller brunette boy, finally spoke to the rest of the group. “She just got over cancer. Like- recently.”

“Really?” Daniel asked. “That’s tough. Maybe that’s why it was hard for her to swim.”

“I wonder if the dolphins could tell of that,” Jonah asked. “Cuz they pushed her right to shore.”

“Dolphins?”

“Yeah, there was like- eight,” Jonah said. “They pushed her far up enough into shore so she could breathe, then Daniel jumped in and pulled her out.”

“Superhero,” Jack snickered, patting Daniel’s back. “You’re tense, buddy. She’s alright now. We’ve got her warm and safe.”

“I know I just- I don’t know,” Daniel shook his head with a light scoff. “It’s just something about her. I feel like I have to protect her or something.”

“You intimidated by her boyfriend?” Zach asked. “He’s kinda scary to be honest.”

“Colby?” Jonah chuckled to himself. “Nah, he’s a softy. Don’t let him fool you.”

“Yeah,” Daniel agreed, then the doorbell on the door rang and he gulped. “I um- I’ll get it.”

Daniel got up and jogged to the front door and opened it, then being face to face with Colby. “Where’s my girl?”

“Over here, buddy,” Jonah answered. “We’re just trying to keep her warm. We thought she was warm enough but she’s shaking.”

“She needs her meds,” Colby leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and pulled back with a sigh. “She’s got a fever. I’ve gotta get her home, boys. But thank you so much, seriously. If you guys hadn’t been there, I don’t want to know what could have happened. She ran off on her own, I had no idea where she was going.”

“None of us blamed you, man. We see on the media how much you take care of her,” Jack said. “You’re a good boyfriend to her.”

“Not after tonight,” Colby scoffed and picked her up. “Shit, this is your blanket.”

“Keep it,” Daniel waved him off. “She needs it anyway, just get her home, man.”

“Thank you, guys, again,” Colby said before leaving the house and settling Izzy in the seat next to his driver’s side spot, and drove off.

“You alright, buddy?” Jonah asked Daniel as he watched out of the window as Colby drove off. 

“Yeah, I just- like I said, I don’t know. Something about her.”

“You’re catching feelings for her. I can tell.”

“I’ve had the biggest crush on her for ages,” Daniel admits. “But she’s got him.”

“Yeah,” Jonah pat his back. “Sorry, buddy. You’ll find someone, just looks like it’ll be a bit of a challenge.”

“That’s what makes the girl at the end more of a reward for waiting so long,” Zach encouraged him. “Come on, Jack wants to watch the new Star Wars series with Baby Yoda.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Colby,” Izzy whimpered when she woke up. She’s on the couch wrapped in a blanket, and Colby’s in the kitchen reading the label on her meds and scrolling through an article of symptoms on his laptop. “C-Colby.”

“Right here, babe,” Colby carried his laptop into the living room and set it on the table next to the couch. “You okay?”

“No,” She sniffled, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. “I-I hurt…”

“What kind of hurt? Where?”

“M-my chest,” She rubbed her chest and groaned softly. “It’s like- a really sharp pain.”

“I’m sorry,” He stroked her cheek. “If I hadn’t crossed boundaries none of this would have happened.”

“It hurts,” She whimpered again. “Colby.”

“I’m sorry, I-I can get you pain medication, but that’s all I can think,” Colby got up and grabbed the ibuprofen from the medicine cabinet, now full of things from Izzy’s run-in with cancer. “Nevermind, it’s going to interfere with your meds.”

“No,” She groaned. “Colby it hurts.”

Colby joined her on the couch, letting her head rest on his lap as he stroked her hair gently. “I love you so much. I’m sorry you’re hurting.”

“I love you too,” She winced. “Colby this doesn’t feel right.”

“I don’t know what it is,” He frowned. “I’m sorry, if I could take away all of the pain I would.”

She turned slightly so she was laying towards him and she snuggled her face into his stomach, letting herself be completely consumed by his presence. A soft moan left her lips as she finally found a comfortable position and was able to slowly drift off to sleep. 

That’s when Colby got his laptop back out. He’s looking over some of the symptoms of her cancer just in case it returns. He hates to think of that sickness hurting his girl again, but he needs to educate himself just in case. It’s the mature way to take care of things. 

He was up reading article after article on ovarian cancer, what exactly the pain feels like, what it looks like if it comes back, what the symptoms are, and what could possibly make it come back. Colby eventually grew drowsy and he rubbed his eyes, waving off the tiredness to keep reading while Izzy slept. His phone vibrated and he looked down at it on the cushion, a DM from Daniel Seavey came up on the screen. 

Daniel asked if Izzy was okay and that he heard about her cancer. Colby snapped a picture of her sleeping on him, cuddled close into his stomach with his the end of his shirt tightly grasped in her hand. Then he sent it to Daniel, telling him she was alright but is going to need a lot of rest in the coming days. 

Soon, Colby shut his laptop and silenced his phone, then shut it off and set it on top of his laptop on the coffee table. He sighed and looked down at Izzy, he ever so gently pushed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. Every part of him ached. He hated how he treated her before. How he hadn’t listened to her trying to tell him he had crossed major lines and she denied his attempt for more. 

Izzy stirred in her sleep, letting out a soft moan as she turned over, resting her palm on his thigh and buried her nose into his sweatpants, settling again and going still. Her chest rising and falling gently. He watched her. Adoring just how gorgeous she looked while asleep. She’s peaceful, and something about the pure vulnerability she possesses while she’s asleep makes her the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. 

“I’m sorry,” He whispered to her, not expecting anything in return. She remained silent, causing him to nod. He laid his head back on the couch and eventually fell asleep as well with his girl on his lap, knowing she was safe and comfortable and right there with him. 

-x-

“Izzy?” Colby stroked her cheek when the morning came. She’s asleep an hour and a half past the time she usually wakes up, and it’s alarming Colby. “Sleeping more… it’s a symptom. Izzy, come on, wake up.”

Izzy contorted her face into a scowl and groaned, waving him off as she turned over on his lap and snuggled back into his stomach, now bare with the absence of his shirt. The intimacy and innocence of it all making Colby stop to appreciate the moment. A small smile crept along his lips as he caressed her body, trailing his palm from her shoulder down her side to her thighs and back up. 

Izzy moaned softly in approval at his actions and he grinned faintly, continuing. “I am sorry… for last night… I really am. It’s bothering me. I shouldn’t have done what I did, and it won’t happen again.”

“I forgive you,” She mumbled in reply. “Just- just stay with me for a little longer… don’t get up for a minute.”

“I can do that,” He smiled softly, letting his hand continue its course up and down her body. It rested, though, in the curve of her waist and she scooted closer to him, showing him she indeed liked the feeling of his touch there and wanted more. He pulled her shirt up a little, just enough to expose her skin, and placed his hand on her waist again, wrapping his fingers around the groove easily. 

A soft moan left her lips and he gently thumbed her skin. She pressed soft kisses of approval on his lower stomach, earning an approving moan from Colby as well. His other hand gripped the other end of her shirt and slowly started pulling it up, waiting for her to give him an answer. The kisses she pressed to his stomach grew less gentle, and he took that as his answer, pulling her shirt off over her head. She sat up and looked right into his eyes. 

“I love you,” She told him. “A lot.”

“I love you a lot, too,” He grinned. 

“Never leave me,” She said, pressing her lips faintly to his neck. “Just stay right here.”

“I don’t ever plan on leaving,” He replied. “Ever.”

“Good,” She mumbled, tracing her thumb up and down his soft cheek, returning to his face once she was satisfied with the hickey she had left on his neck. “Because I can’t lose this. I can’t lose you.”

“You never will, love.”

“Baby?” She questioned, looking up into his eyes. She noticed the dark circles under the blue eyes he has and was slightly worried. “What were you up doing last night?”

“Reading,” He answered. “Educating myself on things.”

“Oh,” She frowned softly. “About my cancer.”

“No, not- not your cancer, you don’t have it anymore, baby,” He kissed her. “You don’t have to worry about it anymore. I just want to know more about it, that’s all.”

“Oh,” She got off of his lap and pulled her shirt back on, laying back on a pillow and she sighed softly. “Who were those guys that helped me last night?”

“Oh, well, there’s Kian Lawley, who isn’t on my good side at the moment because of a fight we had. Then there’s Corey La Barrie, he’s a friend of Kian’s apparently. I don’t know him though. Much at least. And those other five who brought you to their house were the new boyband Why Don’t We. Apparently, Daniel and Jonah are friends with Kian and Corey. I know Daniel because his little cousin Jude has a channel on YouTube and he comes to Playlist with him every year. He’s cool, I guess. Haven’t really been able to get to know him.”

“Oh,” She nodded. 

“He asked if you were alright last night,” Colby said. “DM’ed me on Instagram to ask how you were doing. I told him you were asleep but you’d be okay. They also said something about dolphins? Well- Kian did. I don’t know if it’s true if it came from his mouth, but I am interested.”

“Yeah, I um- I couldn’t swim and they all kind of grouped together and pushed me to shore.”

“Why were you in the water to begin with?”

Izzy hesitated, gulped, and continued. “My um- my ex found me somehow, sitting on the dock over the water. Where you and I had our first kiss. He got really close and he grabbed me, but the grip he had on my waist was tight and it hurt my scar, so I cried out but it must have scared him because he jumped back, which meant he pushed me forward into the water.”

“Grabbed you?” Colby asked protectively, his entire body growing tense. “What’s this guy’s name?”

“Colby you’re starting to sound like my brother.”  
“Someone assaulted my girlfriend, I want to know who it is,” Colby sat up. “I need to know.”

“Boyd Buyers,” She answered him with a slight crack in her voice. Colby gave her a look of sympathy as her eyes watered. “I-I’m scared of him… a-and he knows it…”

“He’s not going to hurt you anymore,” Colby told her. “I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you, baby. Okay?”

“Yeah,” She nodded, blinking away the tears in her eyes. “Yeah.”

-x-

Izzy started to get chest pains again, so he called into the pharmacy and got some options of medicines that would help her pain but not interfere with her current medication. So, while Izzy was showering, Colby said he was going to go and retrieve the medication, that way when he came back she’d get out of the shower and be able to just take the medication and go to bed. 

When he left, however, he was so focused on getting the medication as fast as he could for his girl that he forgot to lock the front door to the apartment. So, when Izzy got out of the shower, towel wrapped around her torso with her arms tucked under, the front door was wide open. When she turned to dress, and went to shut the door and lock it, it was closed. Yet she heard nothing. 

“Hello?” She tiptoed around the apartment, into the bathroom, the kitchen, even peered into the hall closet, but no one was there. Suddenly, she felt something cold and hard press against the back of her head. Her entire body tensed immediately. 

“Well, hello there,” A muffled voice chuckled. “Looks like loverboy forgot to lock the door.”

“Boyd,” She yelped. “Wh-what are you d-doing?...”

“I’m going to do what I wanted to before but never got to,” He growled, and shoved her forward with the gun. “Bedroom. Now.”

“B-Boyd pl-please,” She started sobbing. “Please don’t do this… please…”

“Shut up! Bedroom! Now!” 

Izzy obeyed, and Boyd slammed the bedroom door behind the two of them. Izzy, now curled up in a ball on the bed, as close to the headboard as she could get, whimpered and watched him with wide eyes. He pointed the gun at her face.

“Strip! Now!”

“Boyd,” She whimpered. “Please… p-please…”

“No!” He growled, cocking the gun and inching closer to her. “You’re going to do this, or I’m going to kill you right here, right now, and Colby can come home with you dead in the bed.”

“What is going on?!” 

Boyd turned around quickly to see none other than Sam, and out of shock he shot right at Sam’s stomach, causing him to cry out in pain and fall to the floor. Izzy screamed and Boyd ran out of the apartment soon after. 

“Hey!! Get back here!! I’m calling the cops!!” 

“Hey!! Come back!!”

“Someone call 911!!!”

Mike appeared in the doorway of the bedroom and he ran up to Sam, crouching down next to him and held his hand on Sam’s that was tightly grasping the bullet wound in his stomach. “Izzy, I need you to go get me a rag, towel, tweezers, and a wooden utensil. Right now.”

Izzy got up and sprinted around the apartment, tears pouring down her cheeks as she collected the items and brought them back to Mike. He instructed Izzy to sit at Sam’s head and distract him. Then told Sam to bite down on the utensil as hard as he could and not to let go until he said so. 

Sam, with tears in his sapphire blue eyes, looked up into his sister’s identical eyes desperately. Nothing but a look of pain in the blue orbs. She stroked his hair gently, doing her best to distract him, but she bit her lip and whimpered when Sam screamed out in pain as Mike used the tweezers to successfully remove the bullet from Sam’s body. 

“Alright, you can stop biting down on the spoon there,” Mike said. “Come on, buddy, there we go. We’re gonna get you into the ER, alright?”

Sam nodded and slowly started closing his eyes, reaching his hand out for Izzy. She took his hand and kissed his cheek while Mike wrapped a towel around Sam’s torso and picked him up. 

“I-Izzy,” Sam mumbled. “C-Colby..”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll call him,” Izzy pulled her phone out and immediately called Colby, who picked up on the first ring. “Colby, Colby I need you to meet me at St Mary’s right now.”

“Wha- why?” He asked. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“No,” She sobbed. “No- no it’s Sam. He- he got shot.”

“What?!” Colby immediately made a U-turn and was en-route to the hospital. Much like Mike, Sam, and Izzy were. She sat in the backseat, her brother’s head on her lap as Mike sped down the road towards the hospital. 

“Hurry,” She whimpered softly, pulling her fingers gently through her unconscious brother’s soft blonde hair. “Please.”

“Yeah, yeah,” He sounded out of breath and it alarmed Izzy. A sound she hasn’t expected to hear in a long time. He’s panting, meaning he’s having a hard time getting air into his lungs… he’s having a panic attack at the wheel. 

“Colby- baby breathe, pull over and breathe for a few seconds,” Izzy told him calmly. “Come on, deep breath. He’s alright, we’re almost to the hospital.”

“I am too, I’m not pulling over. I-I can fight it,” He stuttered and panted harder, and harder, until Izzy could hear soft sobs from the phone. Then suddenly… a loud crash and the line cut off… she was met with a beeping tone. 

“Colby!!” Izzy sobbed and Mike looked back at her through the mirror. “Mike- Mike- it- it’s Colby… he got into a wreck…”

“Shit,” Mike slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “Why is all of this happening now?! Oh shit… Izzy- do not look out of the window. Keep your head down, I mean it.”

“Okay,” She looked down, but hearing the sirens and seeing the blue and red flashing lights around the car, she knew exactly why Mike told her to put her head down. A soft whimper left her lips and Mike looked back at her through the mirror. 

“Hey, they’ve got him, we’ve got Sam, both of them will be alright, okay? Breathe, I need you to just breathe, lean back and close your eyes and breathe,” Mike told her and turned the radio on. “Just try and calm down.”

Izzy did as told and she felt a little better, but the adrenaline came surging back through her veins as they pulled into the ER, Mike left a little bit of space for the ambulance speeding up behind them with Colby. Mike picked Sam up in his arms again and ran him into the building. The ambulance took Colby in by stretcher, and Izzy sat in the car and tried to get herself to breathe. She was growing hysterical, she could feel it building in her gut, so she stayed alone, knowing that right now that’s not what the hospital staff need. 

“Hey, hey, I’m here,” Mike said and ran out to the car. He pulled it into a parking spot, got out, and ran over to Izzy’s side of the car and opened her door. He then wrapped her in a warm, tight hug and she broke down with emotion. “They’re gonna be okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you. You’re alright.”

“C-Colby… S-Sam they’re both… both…” 

“Shh,” Mike pulled back and pressed his lips to her forehead. “They’re both going to be just fine. I pretty much saved Sam’s life back at your place. Thank god I was hanging out with him at the time, right? Come on, let’s go inside and sit on one of those comfy chairs together, okay?”

Izzy nodded and he took her hand, lacing his fingers into hers, and they both sat in a loveseat in the back of the empty waiting room. Izzy, out of adrenaline crash, laid on Mike’s shoulder and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, and Mike kissed her head protectively. He’s known Sam and Izzy and Colby since they were kids, so he’s much like a big brother to Izzy, almost just as much as Sam is.


	9. Chapter 9

“Izzy, hey, they’re letting us back to see Colby,” Mike woke Izzy up about an hour after she fell asleep because shortly after getting him in, Colby was well enough for visitors. Mike led Izzy by the hand to Colby’s hospital room, and as soon as the door opened, Izzy ran to the bedside of her boyfriend and took his hand. 

“Hey,” He said. “H-how’s Sam?”

“We don’t know yet,” Mike said. “They haven’t come out to tell us anything yet.”

“How’d he get sh-shot in the first place?” Colby asked.

“Boyd,” Izzy answered, looking down. “He um- he got into the apartment after you left and um… he had a gun and was yelling at me… he was going to r-rape me… but Sam heard him and came in and Boyd shot him and ran off.”

“Whoah,” Colby teared up and looked up at Izzy. “Baby, come here.”

Izzy climbed up onto the bed with him and nuzzled into his chest. Colby repositioned his arm, revealing quite the cast, and he had a small bandage on his cheek, but that seemed to sum up all of his injuries. 

“Are you okay?” He asked her genuinely. “I bet you were worrying about me and Sam the whole time, but haven’t been focusing on yourself at all. What’s going on? Are you alright?”

“He he-held a gun to my- my head,” She whimpered. “I-I was so scared.”

“I’m sorry, I don't know how he somehow knew where we lived, but he got in,” Colby sighed. “You’re here with me now. You’re alright, Mike’s here too, and they’re about to tell us that Sam’s all good too.”

“I know,” Izzy closed her eyes as Colby rested his chin on her head. 

“Go to sleep, love,” He told her. “You’ve probably got the biggest adrenaline crash riding on you right now. No one’s going anywhere. You can sleep.”

Once Colby was sure she was completely asleep and oblivious to anything anyone said, he started talking to Mike. “Thank you for taking care of her tonight. I obviously failed.”

“Hey, we all have our faults, man,” Mike replied. “Anxiety is one of yours. Rage is one of mine. I get super pissed off at the smallest shit and I go off on anyone in the direct vicinity. But that’s what friends do. We suppliment each other’s faults.”

“Whoah, who are you and what have you done with Mike?” Colby chuckled, as did Mike and he shrugged, pointing to Izzy.

“That one did it. She’s done made me go soft. Again,” He snickered. “Taking care of her tonight did something with my heart.”

“Obviously,” Colby grinned. “I know how that feels. But again, seriously, thank you. She and Sam are so, so close. Closer than any other siblings I’ve ever seen. She was probably a mess.”

“Yeah,” Mike scoffed lightly and nodded. “Thank god I can handle a ton of stress. Because I had Sam to get to the ER after removing the bullet, then Izzy was hysterical but somehow I was able to knock her out of it and get her to help me with her brother, and then you had your accident and it all happened so fast. God, I don’t want to know what else could have happened if I had lost my mind due to all of the stress.”

“You did good, Mike,” Colby kissed Izzy’s head. “You saved her entire world. Me, her brother, and herself.”

“Don’t make it sound like this big thing,” Mike waved him off. “I was just doing what was right.”

“Oh, shut up, Mike,” Colby snickered. “Play superman for a little. You’ve got a servant’s heart, everyone knows it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t accept ‘thank you’ when you hear it.”

“Yeah, okay, fine,” Mike nodded. “You’re welcome, then. I love you guys, all of you. I just wanted to see that you were all okay.”

The doctor knocked on the door and entered the room with a clipboard. It wasn’t Colby’s doctor. 

“Are you guys here for Samuel?”

“Yes,” Mike stood. “Is he okay?”

“He’s healing,” The doctor told them. “The bullet landed in muscle. Which is probably why you were able to remove it so easily. But let me tell you, you removing that bullet saved his life.”

“Wha- really?” Mike scoffed, sitting back down with his eyes watering. He shook his head. Colby looked over at him. 

“Superman,” Colby grinned. “Superman.”

“So, it didn’t even get close to anything important?”

“Nope,” He chuckled lightly. “Seriously just dug into muscle, which is why it was bleeding so much when he came in. and probably why it was so painful for Samuel.”

“Thank god,” Colby breathed out, shaking his head. “Thank you guys. Both of you.”

“We didn’t do much,” The doctor said. “We sewed him up and got him on a blood replacement bag, and that’s pretty much it. Your friend here did the most of it.”

“It’s all I know to do with bullet wounds,” He shrugged. “Take the bullet out immediately if you can and if you can’t then rush the person to the ER.”

“You did well,” The doctor patted his shoulder. “Saved his life. He’s in room B350 down the hall.”

“Thank you,” Mike said as he left. Colby looked over at Mike. 

“You wanna take her to go see him?”

“And leave you in here alone?”

“Go,” Colby snickered. “I know he’s alright. I can sleep now. You and Izzy weren’t the only ones with intense adrenaline.”

“Yeah,” Mike nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take her.”

-x-

Izzy opened the door to Sam’s room and as soon as Sam saw her, his eyes filled with tears and he sobbed. “Sissy.”

“Sam,” Izzy sniffled, walked up to his bedside, and embraced him, yet careful about his stomach. “You took a bullet for me.”

“You’re my baby sister,” Sam sniffled. “I’d take much more than a bullet for you.”

“Let’s hope you never have to,” Mike added with a grin. “Hey, buddy. How’re you feelin’?”

“Sore, but thankful,” Sam nodded. “Doc said if it wasn’t for you I might not have made it out of surgery.”

“Yeah, well, just did what I knew was right,” Mike said. “Making sure all of my friends came back home.”

“You did your job well, then,” Sam scoffed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“How’s Colby? Is he okay? Do you know anything yet?” Sam asked. “The doctor told me he got into an accident but that was all he knew and it freaked me out.”

“He’s okay,” Izzy laughed tearfully. “You should have seen it, Colby reacted the same way about you that you are about him. He’s okay, sleeping, but we’ve already been in there. Nothing but a broken arm and a scratch on his cheek.”

“Damn,” Sam shook his head. “Both of us got out of this easy. We got so fucking lucky.”

“You got that right, buddy,” Mike replied. 

“So, I’m not going to ask why Boyd was there, I heard what he said, every word, but I do want to ask if you’re okay.”

“Yeah,” Izzy sucked in a breath and nodded. “He’s been caught and punished accordingly, you’re okay, and so is Colby. I’m okay. A little in shock still, trying to accept everything that happened because it all came at me so fast, but I’m alright. You and Colby are okay and that’s all I care about.”

“But we care about you, so making sure you’re okay too is important for us,” Mike said. “You always put yourself before anyone else. Let us take care for once.”

“I’m okay, really,” Izzy smiled faintly at Sam. “I can see that you’re okay, and I know Colby is. And that’s all I really needed to help myself.”

-x-

Within the next day, both Sam and Colby were allowed to go home, which meant Colby and Izzy spent a lot of time alone together at their place. In fact, right now, they’re in their bed together, laying in the dark, talking. 

“Hey, B?”

“Mhm?” She smiled softly at the new nickname. 

“I had a question,” Colby asked. “And… it might be a little weird… and if- if you don’t want to we don’t have to… especially with what happened with, you-know-who…” He started. “But I um- I wanted to know if- god how do I say this- would you like to- fuck, I can’t word this.”

“Colby, just give it to me straight.”

“I want to be a father,” He blurted out. “And I want you to be the mother.”

“Whoah,” Izzy went silent a moment. “Y-you’re serious?”

“Yeah,” Colby grabbed her hips. “I want to have a little baby with you.”

“That’s like- a permanent decision, Colby. There’s no going back.”

“I know,” He kissed her head. “Did I ever say I didn’t want this to be permanent?”

“What are you saying?”

“I want to marry you, Izzy,” Colby smiled. “But I have to wait for the right time. You’re still seventeen.”

“Stoppit,” She snickered. 

“So?” He asked, nuzzling his nose against hers. “You wanna be a momma to my kid?”

“Yeah,” She blushed. “That sounds like the best dream come true.”

“Good,” He smiled big, pulled her hips to his, and pressed his lips against her neck, earning a soft moan in reply. “Thank you… I get to be a daddy… thank you.”

“Mmm,” Izzy smiled at the thought of her boyfriend holding their beautiful child. “Thank you for picking me.”

“Wouldn’t pick anyone else.”


	10. Chapter 10

“You didn’t even think to consult me?! Izzy, you’re seventeen years old!!”

“Sam, it’s our decision!” Izzy fired back at her brother. “This is between me and Colby!”

“Izzy, mom and dad trusted me to take care of you while you were out here. I can’t betray that trust with them. So, if this is seriously something you’re considering doing, then I’m going to have to ask that you don’t see Colby anymore or I’m sending you home.”

“Wha- you’re kidding…” Her eyes watered, her heart pounded, every part of her rejected the idea of not seeing Colby. “So- so I have to choose? You’re making me choose?”

“Yes,” Sam nodded. “Because I don’t know if I can trust you now. If you and Colby have been discussing it already, seriously, and have been considering it, how am I supposed to trust that you’re not going to follow through with it without me knowing?”

“You’re making a big mistake,” Izzy wiped her eyes and stood. “I guess I’ll go back to Kansas. But when Colby learns that I’m gone and that you sent me away, he’s not going to be happy. And if I remember correctly, you both have a trip to go on with Elton and Corey for TFIL later this month.”

-x- Izzy’s POV… one day later -x-

“Izzy? You’re back already? What happened?”

“Sam and I fought,” I tossed my one bag on my old bed… in my old room… back in Kansas. “So I came back home.”

“What about Colby?” My mother sat on my bed. “Does he know you left? How does he feel?”

“I don’t know. Mom,” I frustratedly sighed and ran a hand through my blonde hair. “I left last night, so I have no idea if he even knows yet.”

“Alright, well,” She stood up and kissed my head. “Supper’s at nine, you can come down whenever you’d like.”

“Yeah.”

-x- 3rd Person POV -x-

“Hey, do you have any idea where Izzy is? She’s not answering any of my texts or calls.”

“Yeah,” Sam said, sitting on Colby’s couch next to him with a soda in hand. “She’s back in Kansas.”

“She didn’t tell me anything about her leaving,” Colby frowned. “Why’d she leave? Did you know she left when she did?”

“Yeah,” Sam sighed. “I was the one to send her home.”

“What?” He scoffed. “You’re kidding. Why the hell did you do that?!”

“She told me of the plans you and her had about having a child and I didn’t appreciate it so I sent her home.”

“What the hell?!” Colby exclaimed. “That’s none of your business! It’s a decision we both made on our own terms, it has nothing to do with you!”

“It does when my seventeen year old sister wants to have a kid with a man who’s five years older than her!”

“Oh, okay, I see how it is,” Colby shook his head. “You sent her home to protect her from me.”

“No, what the- no,” Sam scoffed. “I sent her home because I know her. She’d make that decision without my consent anyway and just not tell me about it.”

“Looks like you’re gonna have to explain to Elton why I’m not coming on the TFIL trip then. Because I’m not going anywhere with someone who doesn’t want their family and friends to be happy.”

“You’re going to diss on the semi-annual TFIL trip because you’re whining about your girlfriend being gone.”

“You don’t know what it’s like!!” Colby yelled, silencing Sam immediately. “You don’t know what it feels like to have someone so close to you taken away from you! You don’t know what it feels like to be single and lonely for years and wonder if you’re ever going to find love!! Izzy was my anchor and you shipped her off because of a decision she was making! So tell me again, Samuel, why I’m quote on quote whining!”

“Fine,” Sam stood and walked to the front door of Colby’s apartment. “I’ll give Elton a call then.”

“Fine!” 

-x- Izzy’s POV -x-

“What do you want, Sam?”

“Just wanted to let you know that Elton, Corey, Andrea and I left on the trip.”

“Colby stayed home?”

“Yeah… apparently he’s pissed at me and doesn’t want to go anywhere with me so he dissed on the trip.”

“Good to know.”

“Don’t even think about going back. I swear, Izzy. if you take advantage of the fact that I’m gone..”

“I’m gonna go and see my boyfriend. Whether you like it or not.”

“Izzy, you don’t want to.”

“Why? Why not? What is it now that he’s doing that makes you want to keep me away from him?”

“He’s hooking up with other girls every night, going out to bars and getting drunk with Brennen, and he’s started up his vaping habit again. Trust me, he’s a mess, you really don’t want to go over there.”

“Hook- you’re lying. I’m gonna call him right now.”

“No! I-I mean- don’t. Izzy, I’m trying to protect you from heartbreak.”

“You already broke my heart, Sam, there’s nothing left to break.”

I hung up on my brother and immediately jumped over to Colby’s contact. I sat on my bed with crossed legs and pressed my phone to my ear. He picked up immediately.

“You’ve been ignoring me for weeks, why are you calling all of the sudden?”

“Rude,” I frowned. “What’s going on? Sam told me you’re starting up a bunch of shit.”

“If you consider endlessly watching reruns of the same show and ordering Postmates every day so I don’t have to leave my apartment shit, then yes, I’m knee-deep in some hardcore shit.”

“He told me you were-” My voice cracked, yet I continued. “He said you were hooking up with randos and picking up vaping again and getting drunk at bars.”

“What the hell?” Colby scoffed. “He’s trying to ruin my life. I swear. None of that is true.”

“He wants to keep us apart…”

“Izzy, I said it once and I’ll say it again, I’m loyal to you and only you. Even when we’re not supposed to be together.”

“This sounds like Romeo and Juliet.”

“Might as well be,” Colby scoffed. “Your family doesn’t want us to be together. If we added mine it would literally be a modernized version.”

I had to hang up on him, immediately, because I rushed to the bathroom and doubled over the toilet to throw up. Painfully. My stomach was screaming at me in pain and I started sobbing, leaned back on the wall, and called out for my parents.

“Momma!!”

“I’m coming, baby!” My mother rushed into the bathroom and frowned. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I don’t know! Momma it hurts! I-It’s the same pain I had before… before I got sick!”

“Oh my, okay, let’s get you in then. Babe!” My mom called for my father, and together they helped me get shoes on, grab a blanket, one of Colby’s hoodies I brought home with me, and I was put into the truck while they transported me to the hospital. 

I wasn’t able to stop crying due to the intensity of the pain. My mother, who had my phone in her back pocket, pulled it out when it started ringing. She smiled faintly and turned the screen to me. It’s Colby. He’s probably wondering why I suddenly hung up on him. 

I whimpered and shook my head, not wanting to worry him. I want to make sure that whatever this is is just a flare up or a stomach bug and not my cancer coming back. 

We got to the hospital and as soon as I was examined by the doctor through X-rays and ultrasound. He said… that the cancer made a comeback… and is worse than before. Which is why the pain was so intense this time and not so much last time. 

My parents cried. I cried. And I was assigned a hospital room until the doctors could consult with other doctors to see if they could get treatment here in Kansas and not have to transport me anywhere else. My parents said that would be the best option because they wanted me to be able to stay in my home state so I was comfortable. 

Unlike last time… however… I have less hope for myself. Like this might be it. This might be how I go… 

The doctors say it’s not good for treatment if the patient gives up… but I’ve given up.


	11. Chapter 11

I was asleep one night, about a day or two later after the doctors discovered the cancer, and my father was up calling my brother. Sam.

My parents know I don’t want them to know. I don’t want to burden them. But my father’s bent on telling them immediately. I overheard them talking an hour ago… this was their conversation:

“Doc said it wasn’t as bad last time, which is why they were able to treat it so easily. They underestimated it apparently and it came back.”

“She’s given up, Bob. what are we supposed to do? The nurse said that keeping her hopeful about being cured was better for her treatment. If she’s given up there’s less chance of a cure.”

“We need to call Samuel.”

“And Colby,” My mother said. “Apparently he was her anchor last time and he kept her hopeful for a cure.”

“She needs people around her…” My father got choked up. “Because if- if this doesn’t go away… we- we could lose our girl… and I want the boys to be with her if she does go…”

“Call Samuel first,” My mother said. “Then Colby. Sam’s her brother, he should know first.”

“I agree.”

Funny the things you hear when people think you’re asleep. Because now I can hear everything my dad’s saying to Sam. 

-x- 3rd Person POV, Sam Focus -x-

“Hey, dad. It’s so late, what’s up?”

“Hey, bud. I um- I’ve got something to tell you. Are you alone?”

Sam got up from his bunk on the RV Elton was driving and tiredly stumbled to the back cabin and slid the door shut. “Now I am. What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Well… um… no. Not- not really.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“It’s your sister,” He started. “Her cancer came back, and the doctor said it’s much worse this time.”

“Whoah…” Sam’s eyes watered. 

“Yeah… we um… we want people around her. Your mom and I talked to the doctor and we’re afraid… *he gets choked up* we’re afraid she might not have a lot of time…”

“Okay, um,” Sam nodded and wiped the tears from his cheeks. “I can come home. We haven’t reached the destination yet. I can get Elton to drop me off at an airport.”

“That would be appreciated,” He glanced back at Izzy who was fast asleep on the bed. Already looking skinnier than before. “She um… she’s given up on herself… so she needs you guys.”

“Yeah,” Sam bit his lip, fighting back the sobs building up in his chest. “I’ll be there as early as tomorrow night.”

“Alright, see you then, buddy.”

-x- Colby Focus -x-

Colby was wide awake when he got the phone call from Izzy’s father. He picked up immediately, however, because the only reason why he was up so late is because he was worrying about Izzy. 

“Hello? What’s up, man?”

“Hey bud, I’ve got some news. You’re alone, right?”

“Yeah, why? What’s going on? Is Izzy okay?”

“No,” He answered slowly. “Her um… her cancer made a pretty mean comeback. Doc said it’s much worse this time, much more aggressive. And they’re not sure they’ll be able to- to treat it in time… so- so we need you to come over here with her.”

Colby took a second. He glanced out of his glass sliding back door at the stars as a tear fell down his cheek. He pulled in a slow deep breath and sighed it out shakily, pressing his phone back up to his ear. 

“I’ll be there. I’m leaving now. Is- is she awake?”

“No, she’s fast asleep. But Sam’s on his way over here too. I would um… not delay on coming down here… because the doctors say she might not um- she might not have a lot of time left.”

“God, don’t say that,” Colby sobbed. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Most likely tomorrow morning. Early.”

“Alright. Thank you. She misses you.”

“I know.”

-x- Izzy’s POV -x-

The second I woke up the next morning… Colby was sitting in the rocking chair next to my bed. It had been pulled up right next to the head of my bed. He was asleep with one of those ugly and itchy green throw blankets that the hospital provides for the visitors. 

His cheeks were flushed… his eyes were borderlined in faint pink and had dark circles under them. His brunette hair dyed maroon at the tips is the messiest I’ve ever seen it. His flight over was probably a rough one. I was just happy to have him here. I started crying softly and just the sight of him next to me. 

My mother and father, enterring the room with bags of food from McDonald’s, both approached me with concern after they set the bags down on the counter in the back of the room. I was crying and they thought I was in pain. 

“Honey, are you okay?” My mother stroked my cheek and wiped the tears from my cheek. 

“It- it’s C-Colby,” I whimpered. “He- he’s right th-there.”

“Yeah, baby,” My father rested his hand on my calf. “He’s been here since almost two this morning. You were asleep when he got here. He was so happy to see you again.”

“He’s- he’s right th-there…”

My parents went silent, knowing that the cancer had started doing it’s work on my emotions. My mother stepped into the bathroom with the excuse of needing to use it, and my father busied himself with the food. 

I just lay watching Colby, more tears falling down my cheeks. Until his eyes opened and he sat up. “Hey, baby. You okay?”

I closed my eyes and sighed shakily, just letting tears free fall. Colby caressed my cheek ever so gently and in return I whimpered. Just having him here is helping my heart so much. I felt his warmth leave me as he stood to greet my parents, say goodmorning, and grab some of the food that they had brought from the restaurant. But then he came back and sat in the chair next to me again. 

“We can watch her bud, if you wanna go and stretch your legs a bit,” My mother said when she came out of the bathroom. 

“No,” Colby grabbed my hand and smiled softly down at me. “I don’t plan on leaving this spot unless I really need to.”

“Well, alright, I’m sure she appreciates that,” My mother rubbed his shoulder before going to get some of the food for herself. She then turned to me. “You hungry, baby?”

“No,” I shuddered, nausea teasing my stomach at the thought of food.

“You really should eat something,” My dad leaned against the wall. 

The doctor came in and immediately everyone went silent. 

“Well hello, Isabella, it’s nice to see you up and talking. We’re just gonna do a few tests to see how you’re doing, alright?” A few nurses came in and approached me with a small tray of items to take my blood and such. As soon as one of them prepared to take my blood, Colby grabbed my free hand tightly as the blood was taken from my arm. Then the nurse left with the sample and the doctor approached me. 

“We have to run that to check on how you’re doing, but how are you feeling?”

“Bad,” I answered. “Really bad. I wanna go home.”

The doctor sighed. “You can, as soon as we get you feeling good again.”

“Sam,” I whimpered, turning away from the doctor. “I miss Sam.”

“He’ll be here later tonight, love,” My mother rubbed my calf with a soft sigh. “Just give him a minute.”

“Alright, we’re gonna go and run that and I’ll be back in to discuss what we find,” The doctor said before he left. 

Literally ten minutes passed by and Sam walked in the door. He set a rather large bag on the floor before finding his place by my bed. He placed a kiss on my forehead and even in my sleep I felt the warmth and smiled softly, knowing it was my brother still in the oblivion of sleep. 

“How is she?” Sam asked.

“Doc took her blood not long ago,” Our dad told him. “He should be back any-”

The door opening cut him off and the doctor entered the room. He had a very somber expression on his face. “Can I ask to speak to the parents please?”

“She’s asleep,” Sam turned down to me, then back up at the doctor. “Whatever you need to say to them you can say to us.”

The doctor looked to my parents for consent, then spoke when they nodded. “Very well. We’ve discovered that Isabella’s cancer is indeed developing faster than before. So fast that there isn’t much we could do to help her. So I consulted with a few other cancer specialists we have here and on the phone and they all said to send her home.”

“Home? But- but she needs to stay here to get treatment,” Colby said. “We need to keep her here, right?”

“We want the best quality of life for Isabella,” The doctor frowned. “I’m afraid she is only going to get worse and there isn’t anything we can do to help her.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Colby growled, instantly standing to his feet. “So you’re giving up on her?! Right?! You’re giving up on my girl and you’re just gonna send her home?!”

“Sir, I am afraid her cancer is too agressive and chemotherapy will not help her to the extent she needs.”

“They don’t want to put her through anything that won’t help her, love,” My mother sniffled, tears falling down her cheeks. “They- they want her to be happy and comfortable.”

“When she goes,” Colby nods as he teared up with tears of anger. “Because you’re all giving up. I-I gotta go take a drive. I need to clear my head.”

“Alright, bud, I’ll walk you out.”

“No,” Colby waved him off as the door shut behind him. I stirred in my sleep and whimpered. Sam sat where Colby once was.

“She can tell he left,” Sam wiped a tear from his cheek. “He’ll be back.”

“So you want us to take her home,” My dad nodded. “We um- we can do that. What- what then?”

“Like I said,” He sighed. “Keep her comfortable with the people she loves most and spend time with her for the time she has left.”

“How long?” Sam sniffled, looking down at me. “How long does she have?”

“Maybe a month or two.”

“God, that’s not enough,” Sam sobbed and stood. “I need to go too. I don’t want to wake her up.”

“Alright, bub,” Dad sighed as Sam left. 

“I’m very sorry,” The doctor sighed. “I have a daughter. I can understand what you’re feeling.”

“I don’t think you can,” My dad looked up at him. “Not unless your daughter is sick and was just given a month to live.”

“Very well,” The doctor nodded. “I’ll see you off, then. I’ll send some nurses in to help prepare her for going home.”

The doctor left and my mother looked at my father, resting her hand on his. “She needs to go home. Like- home.”

“Los Angeles,” My dad nodded. “I agree. She’s happier there.”

“We’ll tell the boys when they get back.”


	12. Chapter 12

So, I woke up… in Colby’s bed in LA… but I was supposed to be in the hospital, right? 

“Colby?” I yelped. “H-hello?”

“Hey, baby,” He entered the room shirtless. He planted a soft kiss on my head. “You slept in.”

“Oh,” I looked down with a frown. “Why am I here?”

“They wanted you to be home,” Colby said. “Wanted you to be happy and comfy.”

“But- but I have to-”

“You don’t have to do anything but relax, baby,” Colby caressed my cheek. “I invited a few friends over to see you later today.”

“Friends?”

“Daniel and Jonah,” Colby nodded. “They miss you and wanna see you.”

“Who- who’s Daniel? Jonah?”

“You don’t remember?” He sat on the bed next to me and took my hand. “They saved your life pretty much. When you had that accident at the beach?”

“Oh yeah,” I nodded. “I remember.”

“You hungry?” He asked me. 

“No,” My stomach clenched. “No food.”

“Okay, well, whenever you’re hungry you let me know and I can grab something for you.”

“Can- can we go out of here?”

“Like where?”

“Drive,” My eyes lit up. “A drive with you.”

“You wanna go for a drive?” Colby smiled. “Yeah, yeah baby we could do that. Let me get a shirt on and we can go.”

I smiled as he got into the closet and dressed in a shirt, pulled on his black Converse and a necklace, then grabbed a few of his rings and put them on as well. 

“Colby?”

“Yes, beautiful?”

“Can I wear your hoodie?”

“Which one?” He smiled back at me and I pointed to the hoodie draped over his desk chair at the front of the room. “My yellow one?”

“Yeah,” She looked up at me. “Please?”

“Of course,” Colby grabbed it for me and set it on the bed next to me. “My favorite hoodie on my favorite girl.”

I sat up slowly and sat back against the pillow as I pulled my shirt off with difficulty. Colby then helped me put his hoodie on, because there was no way I could do it on my own. 

“There,” He lifted my chin and kissed me gently. “Beautiful girl.”

I blushed and attempted to stand up, but my entire lower half rejected that idea, shooting pain everywhere until I sat back down. I winced and rubbed my stomach, eyes watering. 

“I can’t,” I sniffled. “I’m- I’m too sick.”

“Hey,” Colby sat next to me on the bed and wrapped me up in his arms. “You’re not too sick. This just means you get a free ride. I get to carry you.”

“What?”

Colby picked me up bridal style in his arms and I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck with a soft, contented sigh. He grabbed the keys and shut the apartment door behind him as we left. He carried me down to his car and set me down in the passenger seat, made sure I buckled my seatbelt okay, and started our trip. 

-x- 3rd POV -x-

Colby took his girl’s hand as he drove them around. The windows were down all the way so Izzy could lean back against the seat with the warm LA breeze surrounding her. Just as Colby knows she likes it. 

Once they were about halfway through their drive, Izzy looked over at Colby. One of his ringed hands rested on the bottom of the wheel, the other holding her hand. She saw the bags under his eyes and his flushed cheeks. His hair was messy and you could tell he looked a little off. Like something deep in his heart was aching. 

Izzy’s heart ached. She knew he was upset about her. She knew he wasn’t okay. She knew he was faking it for her. Why she couldn’t understand due to the cancer working on her brain. It means she’s not as bright as before, she’s losing some of her memory, and she has trouble processing information. It also means her emotions are spiked. 

She was leaving him. She figured out. She couldn’t stay for long and that’s what’s bugging him. She didn’t want to accept it. In fact her eyes watered and she closed them, directing her face to the window instead. So Colby wouldn’t see her tears. 

The sudden scent of Chipotle filled the car as they passed by and she heard Colby’s stomach growl. He’s hungry but she can’t even think about food still. Again, he’s faking it for her. She grew sad in that moment. She’s breaking his heart without wanting to. She’s hurting her baby and she doesn’t want to. 

“Hey, you okay?” Colby looked over at her. “Bella?”

“Mmm,” She shook her head, sniffling. “Home… just- just go home…”

“O-okay,” He turned the car around. “You okay?”

“No,” She shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. “No.”

-x-

Once they got home, Izzy requested to be left alone in the bedroom, with the lights off, and the door shut. So, Colby sat alone on the couch in the living room. He stood up and grabbed a White Claw, an alcoholic drink, from the fridge and sat on the stool in front of the island. He pressed the can to his lips and took a long drink from it and set it down in front of him. 

There was a knock on his door, making him stand up and open it. There stood Daniel and Jonah, each with sympathetic smiles on their faces. “Hey, bud.”

“Hey, come in,” Colby let them in and shut the apartment door behind them. “She um- she’s in the bedroom. I don’t think she wants company right now. You can um- sit on the couch if you want. And wait.”

Jonah sat next to him at the small bar. He saw the drink in front of Colby and sighed softly. Colby pushed the drink away but Jonah shook his head. “Nah, man, don't. I understand.”

“Just trying to ease the pain,” Colby answered honestly as he took another drink from the can, he then teared up. “We went out for a drive.”

“How’d it go?” Daniel asked, sitting on the stool on the other side of Colby.

“It was going fine until the end,” He answered. “She started crying and told me to bring her home. Then she said she wanted to be alone in the bedroom. So I grabbed a drink and here we are.”

“I’m sorry, buddy,” Daniel looked down with a sigh. “Do you um- does she know? About… her time?”

“No,” Colby shook her head. “I was told firmly by the doctors and her parents not to tell her anything.”

“Oh, well, that’s good I guess. Quality of life.”

“God, I hate that statement,” Colby scoffed. “Sorry, it’s- it’s nothing against you, man. I just hate hearing it.”

“No, I get it, I would too,” Jonah nodded, then looked to the bedroom door. “She’s crying. I can hear it.”

“Shit,” Colby quickly got up and made his way into the bedroom. He approached Izzy but she pushed him away. “Hey, baby I wanna help. Please.”

“No,” She whimpered. “I-I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“Hurt me? Baby, you couldn’t hurt me.”

“I am,” She looked up at him. “I’m hurting you.”

Colby closed his eyes and sighed, then looked back into her eyes. “B, I love you, okay? I can go through a little pain to make sure you’re happy.”

Izzy sat up and hugged him. Tightly. But to Colby it broke his heart. She’s not as strong as she once was. It hit him hard but he blinked away the tears. 

“I hear voices,” She pulled back and looked at the door. “Who?”

“Daniel and Jonah,” Colby answered. “They wanna see you.”

“I wanna see them.”

Colby carried her out to the couch and immediately both Daniel and Jonah entered the living room and sat next to her. Izzy laid her head on Daniel’s shoulder. She didn’t see it, but his eyes watered up slightly as he rested his head on hers. 

“Hey, you.”

“Hey,” She looked up at Daniel, right into his eyes. “You’re crying.”

“Just happy to see you,” He smiled. “That’s all. I’m okay.”

“We missed you,” Jonah told her, taking her hand. Izzy smiled at him as best she could. 

“It- it’s been a while,” She said. “What’s up?”

“Well, we’ve got a new single coming out soon, it’s about you,” Daniel grinned at her. “I’m excited for you to hear it. You’re gonna like it.”

Colby smiled at the three of them talking on the couch. He got a call from Izzy’s father and his entire face lost all color. Jonah looked up at him as Izzy and Daniel were talking. He knows that look. That look of fear and resentment. Colby looked up at him and pointed to his phone. 

Jonah nodded, waving him off, telling him without words that they would watch Izzy so he could take the call. 

Colby stepped out into the hallway and answered the call. “Hey, what’s up?”

“We have some news,” The man’s voice was weak. “We got a call from the doctor. We want you to be the first one to know because you’re with her right now.”

“God, I can’t take any more bad news. I can’t.”

“Doc said-” His voice cracked. “He said she needs to come back in.”

“What- why? What’s going on?”

“They’re gonna do a procedure,” He laughed lightly. “Colby, they’re not giving up on her. They want to do everything in their power to help her.”

“Whoah, I-I need- whoah,” Colby stumbled backward, sitting up against the door. “Is- is it going to help her?”

“They said they’re going to try and do the same thing that was done in the cancer treatment center and remove as much as they can from the affected places and treat her with chemo. But a kind of chemo she could do at home. So she’ll be comfortable, happy, and hopeful about her cure. Buddy- they- they’re gonna save her.”

“God,” Colby just started sobbing. “There- there’s hope then.”

“Yeah,” The man sniffled. “So- so we need her back here as soon as possible. Time is crucial as you know.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Colby nodded.”I can get her ready now.”

“That would be appreciated.”

“Alright, see you, man.”

“Love you, buddy.”

Colby’s heart smiled. “Love you too.”

He wiped the tears from his eyes as he pocketed his phone, took a deep breath, and entered the apartment again. Jonah, seeing the light in Colby’s eyes, the pure glow of his aura, smiled as well. 

“You look happy.”

“Baby?” Izzy looked up at him as he approached her and kissed her passionately. He pulled back and caressed her cheek. 

“B, we’ve gotta get you back to Kansas.”

“Wh- no, why? I-I like it here?”

“You’d only go back for a couple of days,” He smiled. “They’re gonna do a surgery and send you back here with chemo. So you could be home and be healing at the same time.”

“What?” She teared up and smiled so big. Both Daniel and Jonah got emotional as well, each smiling when they saw Izzy light up. “Really?! I can be better?!”

“Yeah, B,” Colby kissed her head. “They’re gonna fix it.”

“Let’s go,” She smiled up at him. “I wanna go. Let’s go.”

“We’ll send prayers from home,” Daniel nodded. “Go get that surgery taken care of. Then you can come back home and we’ll visit as often as you want.”

“No,” She looked at Daniel, then over at Jonah. “Come with.”

“To- to Kansas?” Jonah cocked an eyebrow. “You want us to go with you? Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn, that- that means a lot,” Daniel scoffed. “If it’s okay with big boss here, we’d definitely come with.”

“If she wants you guys to come with then you come with,” Colby snickered. “She’s the one in charge here.”

“I’m gonna go call base,” Jonah stood and pressed his phone to his ear. He stepped out into the hallway and began explaining the situation to the other three boys at home. Then he made a call to their manager, who is conveniently Daniel’s father, so he immediately told them to go and be there for Izzy. 

Jonah grew so happy, his heart smiled, so he peeked into the apartment and grabbed Daniel. “Hey, we should go pack. We got the ‘go ahead’ from our manager. Want us to meet back here or…?”

“Yeah, yeah, we could all grab a flight together,” Colby said. 

“Perfect, we’ll order it,” Jonah smiled. “We get first class.”

“Damn, okay,” Colby snickered. “Riding in style.”

“Have you known us to do anything otherwise?”

The boys left and Colby sat next to his girl. She laid her back against his chest. “I won’t hurt you anymore.”

“All fixed, baby,” He kissed her head. “And guess what?”

“What?”

“When you’re better, we’ll make all kinds of videos together.”

“Like- we can go out? Explore?”

“Yes, ma’am. Anywhere you want.”


	13. Chapter 13

At the hospital, Daniel and Jonah are alone in the room. Izzy had just been taken in for her surgery, so her parents went to go pick Sam up from the airport and Colby had left to go grab something to eat with an old friend of his who lives in Kansas. 

He got back, however, and overheard quite the conversation between Daniel and Jonah in the room. He acted like he was on his phone while leaning up against the door so to anyone passing by couldn’t tell he was eavesdropping. 

-x- Daniel & Jonah’s Conversation -x-

“I shouldn’t be feeling this way. She’s well taken care of. She loves him and needs him and I shouldn’t be wanting to ruin that.”

“Daniel, but I’ve never seen you act this way towards a girl before. You’re- different.”

“I don’t know,” He paused. “I shouldn’t be having feelings for her. It’s- it’s wrong on so many levels. She has her friends and her boyfriend and her life and I have mine and they should really remain separate.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at her, man. And back at her place in LA you were holding onto her for dear life. I saw you, Daniel. Don’t lie to yourself.”

“This hurts, man.”

-x- Colby Focus -x-

That’s when Colby walked in and interjected. “Were you just talking about my girlfriend?”

“N-no, man. I-I was talking about a friend of mine’s girl.”

“That you happened to have visited in LA the same time you visited mine?”

“Dude, he’s already denying his feelings for her, don’t make it worse.”

“I saw you,” Colby scoffed. “Jonah’s right. I saw the way you were holding my girl, you got all emotional when she gave you her attention. You wanna steal my girl!”

“Okay. buddy, I don’t wanna fight. Izzy needs me here just as much as she needs you,” As soon as those words left Daniel’s mouth he regretted all of them.

“Excuse me?!” Colby growled. “Bella is my girlfriend, alright?! She’s always going to need me more than you! I’ve gone through more shit with her than you have! You have no right to say she needs you just the same as me!”

“I saved her life while you were sleeping!” Daniel fired back. “If I hadn’t helped her, you wouldn’t have a girlfriend to be jealous over right now!”

“Oh so you’re the big superman, is that all this is? You have pity for Izzy and you think you’re better than me, don’t you? Well let me clear something up for you, blondie,” Colby pointed back at the door. “Her brother took a bullet to the stomach for her, I got into a car wreck for her, and both of us combined have done things for her that she wouldn’t have been able to do herself. So you’re nowhere on the board! Alright?!”

“Thanks, man,” Daniel nodded, wiping his eyes. “Really. Good luck explaining to Izzy why I’m not here when she wakes up.”

“If you have plans to steal her from me I don’t think you need to be here anyway.”

“I wasn’t ever going to steal her from you,” Daniel admitted. “Because you scare me, man. Always have. I wasn’t even thinking about taking your girl.”

“Good. Then get out,” Colby looked him dead in the eye. “Before Izzy’s parents and brother get in here and see you crying all over the place.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jonah scoffed. Daniel grabbed his arm and pulled him back but Jonah still inched closer to Colby. “You know, you’ve got a cold heart in there. And sooner or later Izzy’s going to see that.”

“What are you saying?” Colby squinted at him with a glare.

“You don’t deserve that beautiful girl in there,” Jonah growled. “And you’ve broken my best friend’s heart. Izzy deserves a gentleman, someone who will stick by her side through everything, not push her away and make her feel like she has to run away from home to get a blink of peace every now and then. She deserves someone like Daniel. Not a douche like you.”

“What did you just call me?!” Colby’s eyes widened, then he chuckled. “Oh trust me buddy, you do not want to start this with me.”

“Oh, I think I do,” Jonah clenched his fists. “You and I both know I’m bigger than you here.”

“Shut up!”

Colby lunged at Jonah but he dodged and laid a rather intense punch to his stomach, causing the wind to be knocked right out of him. He fell to the floor and for good measure, Jonah pushed him down to his back. 

“You’re one hell of a boyfriend, let me tell you,” Jonah scoffed. “Don’t come crying to me when Izzy comes running for Daniel. Because you don’t deserve her in the slightest.”

With that, the two boys left. Colby lay on the floor, gasping for breath and clutching his stomach. He started having a panic attack and there wasn’t anyone to help him. His sobs weren’t heard, however, or if they were… no one stopped to help him. So he passed out there. On the cold hardwood floor. 

-x-

Izzy’s parents and Sam found him on the floor. Sam, seeing the boy’s flushed cheeks and red skin around his eyes, knew he had a panic attack and had to have been alone during it. But what was concerning him was the grip his hand still had on his shirt over his stomach. The blonde boy requested from his father to lift him up on the couch and lay him down. 

Sam lifted the brunette’s shirt and revealed a rather large, dark bruise. Sam’s mother gasped and his father furrowed his brows. “What happened?”

“Daniel and Jonah aren’t here,” Sam said. “And they were before. We found Colby on the floor near the couch here. He had a panic attack, that’s obvious,” Sam started putting the pieces together in his head. “Colby was jealous because he thought Daniel was having feelings for Izzy. Oh my god, I know what happened!”

“What?”

“Colby must have heard something he wasn’t supposed to, freaked out at the two of them, and gotten himself into a fight with Jonah. God knows Daniel wouldn’t hurt a fly. Judging by the bruise on his stomach and how dark it is, it must have been a hard enough hit to knock the breath out of him, causing him to hit the floor. Then he had to have freaked out about it and triggered a panic attack which is why he’s currently knocked out.”

“Whoah,” Sam’s father eyed him. “You predicted all of that from this?”

“I know my best friend,” Sam looked down at the boy. “He gets really jealous and lets it get to his head. Putting himself into really bad situations. Is there a blanket in here?”

“I don’t kn- why?” His father asked as he and his mother looked around the room for a blanket. 

“Because he needs a blanket! He wakes up from panic attacks and needs that feeling of security.”

“Whoah, alright bud, we’re looking. It’s alright.”

“There aren’t any, hon,” His mother frowned. “I can go grab one from home?”

“No,” Sam yanked his hoodie off and draped it over his best friend. “That should be okay. He just needs to rest.”

“Alright, well, we’re gonna go get food. You wanna come with or…?”

“No,” Sam replied quickly. “I’m gonna stay and watch Colby. You guys go.”

His parents left the hospital. Sam sat on the couch next to Colby. He scooted closer to him and laid the boy’s legs over his lap so he could be closer to him. He feels so bad. He hates it when Colby has panic attacks because they’re something he can’t protect him from. And he hates not being able to protect him. 

-x-

About an hour later, Colby woke up. Sam’s parents wouldn’t be at the hospital for a while, they said they ran into some more family and wanted to spend some time with them while Izzy was still expected to be in surgery. 

“Shit,” Colby sat up a little. “S-Sam- bathroom- bathroom.”

Sam got up immediately and helped his best friend to the bathroom, stepping back from him a bit as the boy doubled over the toilet and threw up painfully. Sam’s eyes watered slightly. Colby hates being sick. And he knows that. 

“Shit man,” Sam approached him and rubbed his back. “You’re alright. You’ll be okay.”

Colby got sick another two times before he sat back on the floor, weakly leaning against Sam’s legs. Sam leaned down and slung his arm over his shoulder and helped him back to the couch and laid him back down. Colby lay on his back with his eyes closed. A tear left them, however, despite the fact they were closed.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay, Colbs. I’m here, man. You’re fine.”

“No,” The boy’s voice cracked. “I-I’m such a bad person.”

“What do you mean, Colby? You’re fine, you’re good.”

“I-I said some things… I-I really shouldn’t have to D-Daniel,” Colby groaned weakly and rubbed his stomach. 

“I’m sure he said some things he shouldn’t have too. You got punished for what you said, and so did he. He doesn’t get to see Izzy anymore.”

“I-I have a cold heart and- and Izzy is bound to leave me for- for Daniel.”

“Not true,” Sam’s heart ached when Colby sobbed quietly beside him. The blonde rubbed Colby’s arm. “Hey. Colby listen to me. Izzy loves you with all of her. You two have something that she and Daniel don’t. And that’s history. That’s chemistry. That’s devotion and passion and love for each other. Shit, I can’t even keep you two apart. You’re like- world’s strongest magnet to each other I swear. There’s no breaking that bond. Izzy wouldn’t even dream of leaving you, and if she did she’d wake up in tears and need you to comfort her. Trust me, I know my little sister, she is so head over heels in love with you, Colby. You have nothing to worry about.”

“I needed that,” Colby looked at his best friend. “I really did. Thanks, Sam.”

“Yeah, I love you, man. I hate seeing you upset.”

“I lost a fight,” Colby sighed. “How the hell did he figure out my weak spot so fast?”

“You always go for first hit and you’re constantly protecting your stomach. He probably figured it out right away and went for it.”

“Looks like I need to get with Mike,” Colby scoffed. “Have him teach me a few more things.”

“Speaking of,” Sam grinned at Colby. “He should be up here any minute now.”

“Mike?”

“Yeah, he called and asked if it was alright to come up and see Izzy after her surgery. I told him she’d probably love having him up here when she wakes up.”

“They’ve always been so close,” Colby nodded. “But he’s told me so many times that their relationship is more like a sibling-thing so I’ve never really been threatened.”

“God,” Sam snickered. “You are so protective.”

Colby chuckled a little too and shrugged. “Can you blame me? She’s the one who broke my single streak. Not to mention everything that happened when we were kids.”

“You’re right,” Sam nodded. “Guess I respect it. You take good care of her.”

“Always will, buddy.”


	14. Chapter 14

When Izzy and Sam’s parents got back is when Mike showed up. Everyone was waiting for Izzy to come back from surgery, so when the doctor came in everyone stood up. He chuckled and came in a little more and motioned for everyone to sit down. 

“So, the surgery went very well. Very well. But there are a few things I need to discuss with you guys before she comes in. first off, something happened during surgery that we tried to prevent, but with the cancer’s effect we had to remove her other reproductive organs. Sadly, it will prevent her from becoming a mother in the future.”

Sam immediately looked back at Colby who sat on the couch with watering eyes. “I um- I’ll be fine just- just continue…”

“And the other issue, is her behavior when she woke up. We didn’t think she’d wake up so fast, but as soon as she did she grew hysterical. She kept asking for you, bud,” The doctor looked back at Colby, who looked up at him with a tear falling down his cheek. “She wouldn’t stop crying. She eventually fell asleep, but it was hard to watch, we’ve never had any patient wake up so emotional before.”

“I’m right here,” Colby stood. “Whenever she comes in I’ll be right here.”

Almost on cue, the nurses brought Izzy’s bed back in. The way the girl was laying on the bed said enough. She was curled up in fetal position, she had wrapped the blanket around herself tightly, and buried her face into the pillow. And fell asleep that way. Colby’s heart ached. The nurses and the doctor left after grabbing Izzy’s parents so they could sign some things and do some paperwork. The doctor wanted to give Izzy and Colby and her brother and best friend some privacy. 

Colby approached her, took her small weak hand into his large, ringed hand, and kissed her temple gently. He sat in the chair next to her bed and scooted it closer to her. Mike sighed heavily. 

“That sucks,” Mike said. “She probably had plans to become a mother.”

“She did,” Sam said. “She wanted to be the mother of Colby’s kid. They made plans for it.”

“I’m really trying not to lose it right now,” Colby wiped his eyes. “She’s gonna be devastated. She was so excited. So passionate. Now- now she can’t even be a mother. She’s going to be crushed. Absolutely crushed.”

“Colby,” Izzy whimpered. “C-Colby…”

“Right here,” Colby stood up and kissed her. “I’m right here.”

“Mmh,” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, breaking into sobs. 

“Hey, hey, shhh,” Colby nuzzled his nose into her neck and whispered. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. I’m right here.”

Izzy wouldn’t let go of him for the next couple of minutes. He was alright with it, he needed the embrace just as much as she did. Everything that Daniel and Jonah had said to him, all of the hurt, she was fixing it the longer the hold she had on him was tight. 

Izzy stopped crying but still held onto him. Both of them still just needing the confirmation that both of them were okay. They were going to get through this as long as they had each other. 

“Hey,” Colby smiled at her softly as she laid back on the pillow looking up at him. He caressed her cheek gently. “You’re alright.”

“I can’t- I can’t be a m-mom…”

“How’d you figure that out?” Colby raised an eyebrow. “Did they tell you?”

“I-I overheard,” Izzy answered. “They- they thought I was- was asleep.”

“Oh,” Colby sighed softly and nodded. “Yeah, you know, you might not be able to actually have kids, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a mom still. We could adopt or get a bunch of puppies or kittens or- baby animals of some sort,” Izzy laughed at her boyfriends words and it made everyone in the room light up. “We’d figure it out, B, okay? I’m alright, so are you, we’ll figure it out together. Just like we have everything else up to this point.”

“Okay,” She nodded. “Colby?”

“Hm?” He smiled down at her.

“I want a puppy,” She sniffled. “A really cute one.”

“We could go to the shelter together as soon as you get home. How’s that sound?”

“Yeah,” She smiled too. “Let’s do that.”

“Hey, you,” Mike stepped closer to her. “You feelin’ okay? Doc said it was a pretty intense surgery.”

“I’m drugged up, Mike,” Izzy giggled. “I can’t feel shit.”

Everyone laughed and Mike nodded. “Yeah, makes sense. Missed you, girl.”

“Missed you too, Mikey.”

Izzy’s parents entered the room again and they smiled seeing their girl awake and laughing. They looked to Colby, knowing he was the one to trigger it. Her mother kissed her head. 

“Hi baby! How do you feel? You alright?”

“Yeah, momma, I’m okay.”

“Did- did they tell you about…” Her father started but she cut him off and nodded.

“Yeah,” She smiled over at Colby. “He said he’s gonna get me a puppy.”

“But- baby,” Her mom stroked her cheek. “That’s big. A puppy shouldn’t cover it.”

“Momma,” She looked into her eyes. “I’m okay. Colby’s okay. We’re both gonna be okay.”

“Alright,” She nodded and leaned back. “I just want to make sure you’re happy, love.”

“I have Colby… and Mikey… and Sam…” She smiled at the three boys. “I’m happy. Very happy. And I think I’ll be okay.”  
-x-

The trip back home to LA was rough for Izzy. she kept getting sick on the plane and couldn’t eat or sleep. Daniel and Jonah made sure Izzy’s flight home would be first class which meant she’d be comfortable, even though they weren’t there to fly with them. 

Colby had to explain what happened with them to Izzy, but she didn’t react the way he thought she would. She grew protective over Colby and slightly frustrated with the fact she wasn’t there to back him up. She made sure Colby knew she wouldn’t ever plan on leaving him, and just tthe thought of it made her heart hurt. 

Izzy ended up not wanting that puppy. She said she was okay without anything, that it would just put a damper on the plans she and Colby have to travel and film videos together. So, in the moments Izzy wasn’t on treatment, the two were filming together. 

Little did they know… the trip they were going to take in a couple of months… was going to change their lives forever… and everyone around them…


	15. Chapter 15

-x- about two months later -x-

Six in the morning. That’s when Colby woke up. And no matter what he did to try and get back to sleep, it’s like his body was forcing him to be awake. So, he just lay in bed next to Izzy. She had to have been hot last night because all of the blanket was on Colby’s side of the bed. But if she was hot she was still wearing Colby’s hoodie. 

Then he smiled when he realized. She’d rather wear his hoodie than be wrapped up in a blanket. So she removed the blanket to keep his hoodie on. Recently, after getting off of her chemo in the past month, Izzy’s randomly become a lot more needy. A lot clingier if that’s even a word. He didn’t know why. He originally thought it was because she was just not feeling good from still healing from her treatment, but Doc said she should be over that by now. It shouldn’t really be an issue. 

Izzy’s position as she slept was concerning as well. She slept as close to him as she could due to him being under the blanket and her being on top of it. She was right up on his side, her head rested on the pillow next to his. Her legs tucked up to her chest in fetal position. Her new position isn’t something Colby likes. He misses the old way they used to sleep together. When she wore nothing but a tee shirt, his tee shirt, and their bodies were as close together as possible, his arms wrapped around her waist to make her feel safe. 

Izzy stirred in her sleep, furrowing her brows as she wiggled around on the bed, until eventually she turned over with her back to Colby and she scooted up a little further. A soft moan left her lips when her face pressed to the cool side of the pillow and she spaced out her legs a little more to get comfortable again. He sighed and got out of bed, grabbed his phone, and shut the bedroom door behind him. Then sat on the couch in the living room of the small apartment. 

He turned the television on but wasn’t really paying attention to the random program playing on Netflix. He started researching Izzy’s symptoms on his phone, just trying to find answers for his girlfriend’s new behavior. He was shocked by what he found. The term depression just kept repeating itself on multiple places on every page he curiously opened. He turned his phone off and sighed again, rubbing his face with his hands and yawned, trying to rub off the morning drowsiness. Even though it’s so very early. 

Colby shut the TV off and stepped out of the back sliding glass door to the balcony and shut the door behind him. There was a chair placed out there, coveniently, so Colby sat in it and looked up at the still dark sky at the stars. Izzy isn’t depressed, he told himself, she’s been happy lately. Then he had a thought. Was she hiding it for him? No, that couldn’t be it. Izzy tells Colby everything. 

He couldn’t think much longer before the door opened and Izzy wandered out of it. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and sat in his lap. Colby wrapped his arms around her as she cuddled into his chest and sighed softly. 

“You don’t have to be up because I am,” Colby told her. 

“I woke up and you weren’t next to me,” She said. “I had to come find you.”

“Sorry to wake you then.”

“I’m comfortable wherever you are.”

There was a peaceful silence between the two of them, until Colby’s previous research reappeared in his mind. 

“Hey, B?”

“Mhm?”

“You’d tell me if you weren’t happy… right?”

She hesitated. 

“Yeah. Obviously, I-I tell you everything.”

Blaming her hesitation on her sleepiness, he nodded.

“Okay.”

“Why?”

“I just- wanna make sure.”

Again, there was a break of silence. Izzy was the first to speak this time.

“Colby?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m- nevermind… it-it’s not a big deal.”

“If something’s bothering you, you need to tell me.”

“No- no I’m fine…”

“B.”

She sighed shakily. 

“I’m sorry…”

“For what?”

“Not being enough…”

“Not bein- what are you talking about? Hey, B, what’s going on?”

“I was supposed to stop hurting you,” She sniffled, wiping away tears. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Hurting me? What do you mean? You’re not doing anything to hurt me.”

“I can’t be a mother,” She sobbed. “I-I can’t…”

“Hey, whoah,” Colby kissed her head and rubbed her arm. “Baby we established this was alright. We were gonna get through this. Remember? Together like everything else.”

“Y-you might be- be okay but I’m- I’m not.”

“You should have told me honestly how you felt, B. I could have helped you up till now and we would have figured it out. We still can but hitting this earlier would have been best.”

“You should be with someone else,” She admitted sadly. Colby could hear the hurt in her voice. “Someone who- who can give you your d-dream of being- being a father.”

“No,” Colby scoffed. “B, where is all of this coming from? This hurts my heart to hear.”

“I-I’ve felt like this since Kansas…”

“Since you overheard the doctors,” Colby sighed. “B, you said you were okay. We were even gonna get a dog in case you just wanted something to raise with me. You said no, though. Why all of the sudden is all of this changing?”

“I’m sorry,” She sat up. “I=I’m such a mess. I don’t deserve you.”

“B, stop!” Colby’s eyes brimmed with tears. “What is going on with you? You’re so down on yourself all of the sudden!”

Izzy stood up and shook her head, wuping tears from her cheeks. “I’m- I’m gonna go…”

“Wha- where? Why? Don’t leave, come here, we’ll fix this!” Colby got up after her but she had already made it out of the door. “B! I’m sorry!”

Izzy went down the hallway and knocked on her brother’s apartment door. He opened it after her second round of knocks. “What’s up? Iz- why’re you crying? Hey, come here, jesus it’s early.”

“I needed out,” She sniffled. “I-I need you.”

“Okay sissy, well, I’m right here. And whenever you wanna talk about what’s going on is fine with me. Let’s just- I’m tired. Let’s go to bed, okay?”

Izzy nodded as her older brother led her to his bed. She cuddled into him immediately and cried softly until she fell asleep. Soon, Sam too fell asleep. As did Colby, knowing Izzy had just gone down the hal to her brother’s place. 

-x-

“So,” Sam and Izzy sat on his couch a few hours later. “You okay with telling me what’s going on, now?”

“I-I’m d-depressed again…” She looked down at her lap and sighed shakily. “I-It was bothering Colby. I-I had to get out of there.”

“Oh…” Sam frowned. “What um- what’s gotten you so upset?”

“Not- not being able to- to be a mom… ever…” She sniffled. “I-I’m not g-good enough for- for Colby.”

“Bullshit,” Sam scoffed. “Come here.”

Izzy lay her head on her brothers shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I hate this… why- why me?” 

“I don’t know, but Izzy, if there’s anyone you shouldn’t be running from, it’s Colby. I’m happy to be helping you, but really, Colby should be the one who’s comforting you through this.”

His apartment door opened and in came Colby. He had tearstained eyes and flushed cheeks and was totally shirtless. He sat next to Izzy and kissed her cheek lovingly. Izzy, having both her brother and boyfriend at once, started crying softly. 

Sam rubbed her back. “You’re gonna get through this. Izzy, you’re the strongest in our entire family. You’re the backbone of everyone. You kicked cancer’s ass. You’re gonna get rid of this sadness too.”

“B,” Colby got her full attention, their eyes locked. “You don’t ever need to feel like you’re not good enough for me. Because if anything I’m the one not good enough. I’ve fucked up more times than you can probably count on one hand yet you’re still here. I’m right here, so is Samuel, we’re you’re A team, okay? We’re gonna do this together as always.”

“We- we need to go- go get that puppy,” Izzy sniffled. “Cuz I want a baby…”

“Okay,” Colby smiled softly. “We can do that today. We don’t have any plans. How about you, Sam?”

“Yeah, I’ll be out with Kat all day. But you guys go without me. It’s really something for you two to do alone together. I’m all good.”

“Mkay,” Colby kissed her cheek once again. ‘You okay now, B?”

“Yeah,” She nodded and took in a deep breath and sighed it out. “Sorry for waking you up so early, Sam…”

“Anytime you need me. Even at almost seven in the morning.”


	16. Chapter 16

Izzy lay on the couch with a small grey kitten in her arms. It’s been mewling at her for the past couple of hours since they brough him home. Izzy named him Finnley. Colby can’t help but smile at the purely happy expression on his girlfriend’s face. He knew he did something good. 

“B, he’s been talkin’ to you since we brought him home.”

“I know,” She smiled so big and kissed the kittens small, fuzzy head and it pawed at her cheek with a playful meow. “He’s so cute. I’m so happy right now. Thank you, Colby.”

“Anything to put a smile on your face,” Colby said. “If you’re happy, I’m happy. And that cat’s adorable.”

“He’s like our own little fur baby,” Izzy giggled when Finn crawled up on her torso and curled up in a ball over her stomach and fell asleep. Colby snatched a picture with a mental note to take more pictures of Finn later for an Instagram post about him. 

“Hey, B,” Colby looked over at her. 

“Mhm?”

“I was thinking…” Colby sighed softly. “I had an idea… for in the future… for after we get married and get a house and stuff…”

“I’m listening,” She looked up at him, her heart smiling at the thought of his concrete plans to marry her. 

“Do you think I could… maybe… I don’t know… this is awkward…”

“Hey,” She looked into his eyes. “I’m not gonna judge anything you say. Just give it to me straight.”

“I talked to Kat. Sam’s girlfriend. And I talked to Sam,” Colby took a deep breath. “And they said it would be cool if Kat carried our kid. But it wouldn’t be Sam’s and Kat’s, it would technically be mine and Kat’s, but we’d take it in and adopt it and shit.”

“How- how would that work I don’t- I don’t understand. How- would you have to like- get her pregnant…? I-I don’t like that…”

“No, no, B listen,” Colby grabbed her hand. “I’d go in and they’d take some of me, and put it in Kat so she’d be pregnant, and she’d carry our kid and once it’s born it would be ours.”

“Whoah…” Izzy looked down at his hand holding hers. At his rings. The veins in his hand that stand out due to muscle. His hand’s much bigger than hers but they fit perfectly together. 

“B…” Colby looked at her. “Say something.”

“I-I don’t…” She sighed. “It’s- I feel pressured…”

“How? Baby this is your choice, it’s just an idea of mine and Kat’s.”

“No,” She shook her head with watery eyes. “I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to put Kat through that. I don’t- if we were to have a kid it would be ours. But that’s not ever happening. So, Colby we can’t have kids. We can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” Colby looked up at her as she stood up and left the living room to the bathroom. She locked the door too. Finn curled up on the couch and fell asleep again. 

Colby sat in silence for a moment. Listening for any sound from the bathroom. Something to tell him what she was doing in there. Something to tell him she was alright. Then the bathroom door opened, she briskly walked from the bathroom to the couch and straddled Colby’s legs, sat in his lap, hugged his chest, and cried. 

“Shhh,” He rubbed her back. “So… we learned something from that exchange… No more talking about it. Baby’s still sore. I won’t bring it up anymore.”

Izzy nodded and buried her face in his chest. Finn got up and crawled over to the two of them. With his tiny claws he climbed up the back of Izzy’s shirt and lay on Colby’s shoulder with his nose nuzzled in his cheek. Colby smiled and kissed Izzy’s head. 

“Your son knows I’m a softy for cuddles now,” Colby snickered.

“He knows his momma can’t resist his daddy’s warmth,” Izzy sighed lightly. “I love you.”

“I love you more,” Colby closed his eyes and sighed as well. 

“I know this um… might not be the right time to say this…”

“What’s up, B?”

She leaned back and looked at him.

“I was talking to Daniel… and… he might have invited me over…”

“What?” Colby scoffed lightly. “After what he said about you? About us? And me? B, we discussed that.”

“Listen,” Izzy laughed lightly. “I turned him down because if he hasn’t apologized and made it right with you, I don’t want to be a part of anything regarding him.”

“Good girl,” Colby kissed her passionately. “I don’t want you around any of them anymore.”

“And I won’t ever be,” She curled up on his chest again. “They hurt my baby. They don’t even get a read receipt on the messages they send to me.”

“They shouldn’t even have your number anymore.”

“Here,” She handed him her phone. “You know the password. Should at least.”

“The day we started dating, I know.”

Colby unlocked her phone and deleted Daniel and Jonah’s numbers, then someone called her phone and Colby smirked, and picked up. 

“Hey, man! Yeah, this is Colby. What’s up, dude? Oh, you wanna go hang out? Yeah, no. That’s not happening. Sorry. We’ve got plans here at home. We’ll have to come to your party at the end of the week.”

Finn hopped down off of Colby and jumped down off of the couch. He went to explore the rest of the apartment. 

“Colby!” She grabbed her phone from him. “Mikey! Sorry about Colby. Aw, I miss you too. Yeah, we don’t have any plans. We can come over. We’ll have to stop and grab something. Well- Colby will. I’m still… kinda… underage. But hey, I won’t be drinking. Mike- no- I’m not drinking. I don’t care if no one will say anything! You goof! I’m not drinking end of story. Yeah, okay we’ll be there. Yep. Love you too. See you in a bit.”

“Love you too?” Colby raised an eyebrow. 

“Best friend love, Colbs. You’re getting jealous over Mike?”

“You’re mine,” He grabbed her hips tightly. “I get jealous easy, you know this.”

“Maybe this party tonight isn’t a good idea then.”

“What do you mean? We’ll go and have fun and drink. It’ll be great.”

“No- Colby- you will drink. I can’t.”

“Fine,” Colby kissed her. “Go get ready then. God knows you take hours. We gotta stop by the liquor store so we can grab drinks.”

“Mkay.”

“B,” He grabbed her hand before she left. 

“What?”

Colby pulled her down on top of him, roughly, and smashed his lips onto hers. “You’re gonna stick by me at this party. All of the guys there are gonna be drunk. I don’t want any of them messing with you.”

“Trust me, Colbs,” She smirked. “I’m not going anywhere but right next to you.”

“Good girl,” He grinned. “Go get ready.”

-x- Mike’s Party, Izzy’s POV, Two Hours In, Colby’s Drunk -x-

Everything was fine. It was all peachy. We were having fun and I was cracking horrible jokes with Mike and he was cracking up. Granted, he’s hella drunk, but I don’t know- he’s cute like that I guess. I’m not catching feelings I swear. He’s- he’s my best friend. I can’t catch feelings. It was all perfect until I turned around to see Colby sitting on the couch with a pretty girl on his lap, her hands on his chest as they made out rather passionately. 

So, that’s when I grabbed Mike’s face and kissed him. Hard. And as soon as I pulled back, he looked right into my eyes and smirked. 

“Ay, shorty,” He grinned. “Always knew you’d pick me instead of that emo boy.”

“Mike you’re just as emo.”

“Ah- ah- ah!” He shook his finger in front of me. “What’s my name?”

“Mikey,” I got chills all over my body when he picked me up suddenly and sat me on his lap and wrapped his arm around my torso. He spoke right into my ear. 

“What’s my name, pet?”

“Mikey, I’m not gonna do anything with you.”

“Ugh, you’re no fun,” Mike pushed me off. “Go away.”

I looked over at Colby again and the random girl he had on his lap… but they weren’t there. And that’s when I got angry. I stormed over to the couch and started yelling at everyone there. 

“Where is my boyfriend?! Did anyone see where Colby went?!”

“No! Fuck off!”

I ran up the stairs to the bedrooms and saw one with the door shut. I barged into the room and sure enough. There was Colby and that girl. Both of them completely undressed. She looked like she wasn’t drunk at all. She knew what she was doing. And it infuriated me. 

“Get off my boyfriend!” I stormed up to the girl and shoved her off of Colby. “Who the fuck are you?!”

“Like it matters, hoe!” She snapped back. “You were just kissing on Mike!”

“Well- I-” My eyes watered and I nodded. “Fine. Fine. Take him.”

I left the room and shut the door behind me. I sadly walked back down the stairs, wiped the tears from my cheeks, and left the party. I sat out on the porch step and looked out at the stars. 

The door opened and a long sigh slipped out of whoever stood behind me. “You look like a girl who’s just been cheated on.”

“Yeah, well, I’m letting it happen so maybe it’s my fault anyway. Used to the heartbreak.”

“It’s a pretty heartbreak then,” The guy sat next to me. Someone I don’t know but he looks genuine. Friendly. Like he wouldn’t have any ill motives at all. Not drunk either. Not even a hint of it on his breath. He looked up at the stars as well. “Makes you feel so small, huh? Knowing theres so many other things up there much bigger than all of us.”

“Almost makes all of our problems so tiny and pointless.”

“Helps to see ‘em that way sometimes,” He looked over at me. “Makes it easier to not lose your mind over them.”

“Didn’t catch your name.”

“Oscar,” He smiled softly. “And you’re Izzy, right?”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Though it doesn’t matter now. Seems like I let everyone close go anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone who’s ever called me Izzy has been close to me in some way. So I said it doesn’t seem to matter. He deserves her anyway.”

“Hey,” He sighed. “What’s going on?”

“My boyfriend’s up in the bedroom with some random girl.”

“He’s drunk?”

“Way too far gone to care.”

“Oh,” He nodded and sighed. “Well. You wanna get out of here?”

“Oscar I’m not looking for a one night stand.”

“Didn’t say it was,” He answered. “Just looks like you need a friend, and want to just get out of here.”

“Yeah,” I scoffed, eyes watering. “He can wake up in a bed that’s not his next to a girl that’s not me. I don’t care anymore.”

“Let’s go,” He stood and pulled his keys out of his pocket and pressed a button to unlock his Tesla. We got in and he started it. “I do have to warn you though.”

“Of what?”

“I share a house with a few buddies,” He snickered. “And there’s three dogs who love new people.”

“Oh my god,” I chuckled lightly. “If dogs are the worst thing to worry about, I think I’ll be just fine.”

“Yeah, they’re big dogs though. So they might try to take you down.”

“Oscar?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” I scoffed. “This means a lot.”

“Oh yeah,” He waved it off. “I know what it feels like. If I can help, that’s all I want.”

“Well look at who it is,” As soon as Oscar and I entered the house, Corey approached us. “The girl saved by dolphins.”

“Dolphins?” Oscar raised an eyebrow.

“O,h, you haven’t heard?” Corey chuckled. “It’s quite the story. Have her tell you sometime. Speaking of, what are you doing here?”

My heart actually started hurting. That’s my baby… and he’s messing around with someone else. “I-I can’t talk about it right now.”

“Colby fuck up again?” Kian came around the corner. “I wouldn’t be shocked.”

“Great,” I rolled my eyes. “Oscar can we like- go to your room or something?”

“You wanna go to a guy’s room after a breakup?” A feminine voice asked as she came down the stairs in the next room. She took one look at me and shook her head, holding her hand out. “Oh, baby, come here. Come on. Let me help.”

I glanced back at Oscar and he nodded, motioning me forward. I let the shorter girl lead me up the stairs to her room. Her light was off but fairy lights bordering her ceiling gave the room a soft, pink glow. Immediately my anxiety about all of this started lessening in proportion and I found myself able to relax as I sat on the bed next to the girl. 

“First off, my name’s Franny,” She smiled softly. “And you’re Isabella. Sam Golbach’s little sister, right?”

“You can call me Izzy.”

“Aw, thanks,” She nodded. “Well, Izzy, I’m gonna need you to tell me what’s going on so I can help. So spill the beans. What’s the story?”

“Colby and I were at a party.” I started. “He got hella drunk really fast. I left the couch to go get a soda because I’m well underage to drink. But when I turned around he had some other girl on his lap making out with him. So, out of retaliation, I kissed my best friend next to me. He was just as drunk as Colby is so he’d probably not remember by tomorrow morning. But when I looked for Colby after, they weren’t on the couch. They had gone up to the bedroom. *my voice cracked and she started rubbing my back* I went up there to stop them and defend my boyfriend, knowing he was hella drunk and wouldn’t be able to defend himself properly. But the girl called me out on my shit and said it didn’t matter if she was about to mess around with my boyfriend because I kissed my best friend. Then I left and gave up. Went outside and sat on the porch just to clear my head and figure out what to do. Then that’s when Oscar came out and sat next to me and we talked. Now I’m here.”

“Damn,” Franny frowned. “You’ve had one mess of a night.”

“Yeah,” I scoffed and wiped the tears from my eyes.

“So, I can tell one thing from your story,” Franny sighed. “You still have major feels for this guy. So here’s what I’m about to ask you. If we were to take you back to that party and you went back in there, would you fight for your man and get him back?”

“I don’t want to go back,” I shook my head and picked up a scowl. “I don’t wanna be anywhere around him.”

“Ah, okay, I see,” Franny nodded. “Looks like you just need a night to cool off. Well, good thing. Because we’ve got a lot of things here, including all of us, to help you cool off. How about we go downstairs, sit down with the guys with some ice cream, and we all play some dumb dice game or something? How’s that sound?”

“Like something that would make me forget about all of my issues.”

“That’s the point!” Both of us laughed a little. She stood up. “Come on. We’ve gotta get the good pint of ice cream before the guys do.”

Franny and I made it downstairs, talked with the guys, and we all grabbed our ice cream and sat around the table to play a game. I opted out though and decided to just watch for a few rounds as they played. I sat next to Oscar and rested my head on his shoulder. Laughed when he laughed. We found the same things funny and the same things weird and boring. To sum it up, we had a lot of the same reactions to things. 

Everything was going smoothly until the front door opened. And you’ll never guess who waltzed it like he owned the place. Daniel freaking Seavey. Corey immediately stood at his friend’s arrival and hugged him, then Daniel noticed me and he smirked. 

“Finally cheated on you, huh?”

“What makes you think he cheated?” I snapped back.

“I’ve been in your shoes,” Daniel sighed and sat on a stool next to me. “Cheated on at a party, ran into Corey and he brought me here. Which is why I often call this place the Misfit House.”

“He cheated,” I admitted. “But he was extremely drunk and wasn’t in his right mind. I’m going back to him after he calls tomorrow and explains himself.”

“Going back?” Oscar sat back to look at me. “You told me you were moving on.”

“I didn’t know what I wanted. I still don’t. I don’t know what I’m doing I’ve never been in this situation before, okay?”

I got up from the table and left out of the front door. I paced around a little to breathe and clear my head. Soon enough that front door opened againg and out came Daniel. I wiped the tears from my eyes and he let out a heavy sigh, approached me, placed my hands on my side, and pulled me in to a warm, safe hug. I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes, steadying myself in his embrace. 

“You don’t have to know the answers right away, it’s a tough situation,” Daniel mumbled into my ear. “You wanna know the real reason I showed up here tonight?”

I nodded.

“Corey called me,” Daniel said. “He knew you’d need someone you’ve known for a bit, closely, to help you through this. I know we’ve had our moments, and Colby hates me, but right now we’re focusing on you not him.”

Again, I nodded.

“So lets go back to my place, yeah?” He looked down at me, his arms still around me. “I think you’d like some time with me and the guys. Plus, Zach and Corbyn can’t stop trying to figure out exactly how those dolphins knew to help you out when they did. It’s hilarious. Zach actually did some research for once.”

I laughed. “Yeah. Yeah, I wanna go.”

“And any time you need me to, I can take you back to your apartment, alright? If you’re feeling homesick or uncomfortable you just give me that look across the room, or the word if need be, and I’ll take you home on the spot. Alright?”

“Yeah,” I pulled back and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, anytime.”

-x-

“Izzy?” Jonah raised an eyebrow as Daniel and I entered the living room. “What happened?” 

I love how he asked what happened instead of why am I here. It was refreshing. 

“Colby. Colby happened and I needed to get out for a night,” I answered and sat on the couch next to Daniel. Corbyn glanced up from his phone and locked eyes with me. 

“Hey, dolphin girl,” Corbyn smiled. “Sorry about Colby. That sucks. I’m not gonna ask what happened, because I think I could predict. But you’re in the right place.”

“I hope so,” I sighed softly. “Just needed to clear my head I guess.”

“Jack!! You killed me!!”

“I did not kill you!! You’re on my team I technically can’t kill you, Zach!!”

“You left me alone in that house with an entire other squad armed to the teeth with gold weapons!! You killed me!!”

Jonah turned his head to face the stairs. “Hey!! Quiet down!! We’ve got company!!”

The upstairs went silent, we heard multiple footsteps, then two boys came into view. Jack and Zach. I scooted closer to Daniel, for some reason, I felt my anxiety kick up again and moved closer to someone I knew. 

“It’s Izzy!” Zach smiled. “What’s up?”

“I won’t be here for too long,” I mumbled. “I’m only here for a little. Just to get out of the house I guess.”

Daniel looked down at me. “You’ll stay as long as it takes for you to feel better. I don’t want you going back if you’re still upset.”

“Daniel brought her home, if it isn’t obvious,” Jonah told them. “She’s been here for maybe a couple of minutes now.”

“And already,” Daniel smiled down at me. Somehow fast asleep on his shoulder. “She’s completely out.”

“Adrenaline?” Corbyn asked.

“Probably,” Daniel sighed. “God I really hope he didn’t hurt her too much. She’s been through enough shit to have to deal with his issues.”

“He cheated on her?” Jonah asked.

“That’s what Corey said,” Daniel nodded. “But she’s still wanting to go back to him.”

“Dedication,” Zach said. “She must really love him.”

“She does,” Daniel answered. “She really, really does. I heard rumor they’re planning to get married once she’s old enough too. They wanted a family too. Before her surgery she got recently.”

“Surgery?” Zach asked. “For what?”

“She got another one to remove her cancer. It came back and they had to get rid of it immediately.”

“Oh, was that after they thought she wasn’t gonna make it?”

Yeah, she got another chance and the surgery saved her. But it came at the cost of her being able to become a mother in the future,” Daniel frowned. “She had all of her mother-organs removed. She can’t be a momma now. Of her own kids. She can adopt I guess, but it’s not the same.”

“That’s probably why her bond with Colby is so strong,” Corbyn added. “They’re going through some tough shit right now.”

“Yeah,” Daniel replied. “Like I said. I just hope his mistake didn’t hurt her any further. She doesn’t need it and I honestly don’t think she could take it if that jerk chose someone over her.”

“You’d go and save her,” Jonah said. “Again.”

“Most likely,” Daniel smiled softly. “I’d save her again and bring her back here.”

“And we’d tag team getting her to forget about him,” Jack added. “Because if he hurts her he doesn’t deserve to be on her mind anymore.”

“I agree,” Daniel said. “Well, can one of you grab her a blanket? I don’t wanna move. She’s kinda sleeping on me.”

“It’s adorable,” Jonah said, making Daniel blush. “Been a while since you’ve had a girl do that, huh?”

“Yeah,” He admitted. “Glad it’s her. Wouldn’t want anyone else right here next to me.”

“Other than us!” Zach scoffed.

“I meant of the female gender, doof,” Daniel teased. “Now go back to your game or be quiet. She needs her rest.”

“Yes, sir.”


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning, I woke up right where I fell asleep. On the couch next to Daniel. Only this time he was shirtless and I was sleeping on his chest because he laid down. A blanket was draped over us as well. I hated to admit to myself that I felt extremely safe, comfortable, and didn’t want to get up. But I was eager to check my phone. 

I sat up a little and grabbed my phone from the table in front of the couch and turned it on. But my heart fell into my stomach. Absolutely nothing. From anyone. Not even a text from my brother. My eyes watered and I tossed my phone to the floor, cuddled back into Daniel, and let out a shaky sigh. 

“Hey,” His eyes opened and he rubbed my back. “Assuming he hasn’t said anything yet?”

“No,” I sniffled. “I’m worried, Daniel. What if he actually wants to be with that girl?”

“He’d be making the biggest mistake of his life choosing someone over you.”

“Stop,” I scoffed. “You’re trying to make me feel better.”

“Because I don’t like to see you so upset,” Daniel admitted. “Sorry. I just don’t. My bad.”

“No, don’t be sorry,” I sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t try to push away the guy who saved my life.”

“Eh,” He shrugged. “It looked like the dolphins had it under control.”

“Stoppit,” I snickered. “If you hadn’t helped me that day one or more of those dolphins would have ended up beached trying to save me. So you technically saved me and a pod of dolphins.”

“You can just call me superman.”

“Okay, no,” We both laughed and I sat up, as did he, but we remained close and wrapped up in the blanket. 

“So, what’s the plan then?”

“Just- wait until he calls I guess.”

“When he wakes up in some random bed with some random girl and realizes he fucked up and wants you again instead?”

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

Daniel sighed. “I don’t even know why you try with him anymore.”

“Because I love him, Daniel,” I told him. “I love him a lot. And would give him a million chances if need be. Because we’re human and we all fuck up sometimes.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

-x-

All six of us were eating breakfast at the kitchen table, but my phone started ringing in the liring room. Everyone’s eyes locked on me as I quickly got up and jogged into the living room and picked up my phone. I sat on the couch and answered it. 

It’s Colby. 

“Baby.”

“Colby.”

“I fucked up. Big time.”

“Yeah, you did. Really big time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You learned your lesson waking up next to some rando, huh?”

“No, she left. I woke up in Mike’s bed with a very hungover Mike. It was hella awkward.”

“Good. you deserve it.”

“Baby please,” He started, his voice cracking. “I’m home now. Please. Just come come and I’ll make it up to you.”

I looked up at Daniel in the kitchen and gave him that look. He got up from the table, pulled a shirt on, and grabbed his keys. I waved at the boys at the table and blew a kiss to all of them. Daniel and I got in his car. 

“I’m on my way right now. I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Who are you with?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“B, who are you with?”

“You don’t want to start this, Cole,” Daniel looked over at me with wide eyes. He’s never heard me use Colby’s real name before. He knows I’m upset. He went back to watching the road. “Because it doesn’t matter who I’m with. You’re not any better and you know it. You’re the one at fault here.”

“I’m sorry, okay, I already said it,” Colby sighed. “It’s Daniel isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “But it doesn’t matter, I’m with him because he welcomed me in and gave me a place to stay because you broke my heart, Colby. Again.”

“Okay,” He sniffled. “Just- be home soon. Please.”

“Like I said, I’m almost there.”

We both hung up and I sighed, turning my glance towards the window. 

Daniel sighed too. 

“Want me to just drop you off at the parking garage?”

“Yeah,” He pulled up to the parking garage. “Thank you.”

I looked over at him as he took my hand. “Hey, let’s not be strangers, okay? I know he hates me. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends.”

“I agree,” I smiled softly and kissed his cheek. “You’re a lifesaver, Daniel. Twice now. I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything, love. Get in there.”

“Mkay,” I got up and left the car and he drove off. I looked up at the apartment building and sighed. “Oof.”

-x-

As soon as I entered the apartment, Colby got up from the couch and approached me, tears in his eyes, and he pulled me in to his warm chest. My heart ached. He started crying. 

“Baby I’m so sorry,” He cried. “So so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” I sniffled. “I-I kissed Mike…”

“I heard,” Colby mumbled. “He told me. But baby I fucked up and it won’t ever happen again. I won’t get drunk anymore. I won’t.”

“Hey,” I leaned back and placed my palm on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned in to my touch. “We both made mistakes last night. But it’s what we do about them that matters. Right now, you’re doing really good.”

“I’m sorry,” He said, looking right into my eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry and it won’t ever happen again. I promise. Just please- please don’t leave me. I-I would break. I love you.”

“I love you too, Colby,” I rested my forehead on his. “You forgive me too?”

“Yeah,” He smiled softly and sighed in relief, hugging me tightly. “God I don’t deserve you.”

“I don’t deserve you,” I kissed him. “I love you. I’ll always forgive you. We’ve been through tougher shit than this. Our previous issues make these seem like kiddy problems. So you shower, and I’ll get settled again and call Mike, and we can spend the rest of the day together. Right here. Okay?”

“Okay,” He kissed me again. “I love you too.”

He got in the shower and I sat on the couch, pressed my phone to my ear, and took a deep breath in and sighed it out heavily. 

“Mike?”

“I know,” He started. His voice hoarse and scratchy. “Let’s just move on from it, yeah? We’re just best friends. That’s it. You retaliated when Colby had another bitch on him and you didn’t mean it. It’s alright.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” There was silence. “I love you, Izzy. I’m gonna get in the shower and try to shake off this hangover.”

“Love you too, Mikey.”

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment and tell me what you think! Feedback fuels the writer! Next part up soon!


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